Taken For Granted
by Patterson1219
Summary: Inuyasha has gone through life, accepting what happens without thought, so intent upon getting the Shikon Jewel that he regrets to notice the thing in life that really makes it worth living… InuyashaKagome
1. Prologue

Welcome friendz! ^_^  
  
Okay, a lil info before I let ya go to read the story...  
  
This takes place after the episode where Kagome nearly destroys Naraku w/her arrow (Ep. 30 'Tetsusaiga is Stolen! Showdown at Naraku's Castle') so forget about the rest of the series from that point on!  
  
This is rated PG-13 due to the language.  
  
Just to clear thingz up...  
  
"..." -speaking  
  
'...' -thinking  
  
My apologies in advance for errors and mistakes... otherwise, enjoy! ^.^  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha  
  
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Summary: Inuyasha has gone through life, excepting what happens without thought, so intent upon getting the Shikon Jewel that he regrets to notice the thing in life that really makes it worth living... Inuyasha/Kagome  
  
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Prologue  
  
'He did it again... ticked me off... what a royal pain in the ass...' Kagome silently growled, taking a deep breath and counting to ten before even allowing herself to listen to the yelling half demon in front of her, feeling a major headache coming on.  
  
"...with you weak humans always needing to rest. We need to get Sango and head out! I don't care what you say, we need to go now! You think." Inuyasha yelled on and on, starting to walk towards the small hut where Sango was currently recovering from her injuries inflicted by Naraku, leaving Kagome no choice but to lose control of her own temper and shout, "SIT!"  
  
With a sharp cry of surprise, Inuyasha dove face first into the ground, muffled shouts of rage following while the only other being in the area other then Kagome and Inuyasha laughed, pointing at Inuyasha and shouting, "Inuyasha got sat!"  
  
"SHIPPO! ...I...KILL...TORTURE...LAUGH!" The spectator froze as he caught those few words from the pissed hanyou's lips, his eyes widening when Inuyasha grabbed a handful of dirt... meaning the spell from the rosary beads was slowly but surely wearing off.  
  
With a cry for help, Shippo dashed for the hut, intent on getting inside before the dog demon could get a hold of him, but Inuyasha had different plans, jumping to his feet with a snarl, shouting, "Shippo you chicken! Get back here and..."  
  
"Sit!" The young black haired miko shouted again, sending the half demon face first into the ground once more, his oaths filling the sky without stop.  
  
This was the scene the priest Miroku walked in upon, needing only to glance from Kagome's stiff figure to Inuyasha's twitching one to understand they were once again arguing, with Kagome having the upper hand.  
  
Tension was high between the young girl and dog demon, the air around them nearly sparking with it as Miroku walked past the fuming miko and muttering hanyou with a smirk, entering the hut with the antidotes that would cure Kirara of Naraku's poison.  
  
After the door closed behind him, Kagome turned back to the still mumbling Inuyasha who was slowly rising to his knees, and she failed to reign in her temper, shouting, "Are you done yet? You must be getting tired of kissing the dirt, but I must admit I'll never tire of saying sit!"  
  
Slamming into the ground unexpectedly, Inuyasha let out a yelp while the dirt billowed outward, consuming their camp in a dust cloud, and Kagome felt a pang of guilt as she kneeled down next to him, the dust slowly settling.  
  
"I'm sorry Inuyasha... I know you wish to find the rest of the Shikon Jewel, and we'll start searching as soon as Sango is doing better." Kagome whispered with a sigh, and she listened to what he mumbled through a mouthful of dirt, "If I didn't... stupid necklace... would be...better...I don't... really need...pathetic miko...you...find jewel shards...myself..."  
  
"Of course you could find the jewel shards by yourself, but it's my duty to protect the Shikon Jewel and I made a promise to help you find all the jewel shards since I shattered it..." She whispered, a little hurt by his angry words, understanding most of the words she had caught, but she hid her feelings with a pat on his head, adding, "Plus I would miss those beads if I took them off..."  
  
Sitting up, Inuyasha glared at her, his golden eyes unreadable, and with the baring of his fangs he snarled, "I'd do anything to get these damn rosary beads off! You think I'll wear these forever? I'll find a way to get them off! And then I'll get the Shikon Jewel and become a full fledged demon."  
  
Silence followed that speech, the only sound they heard was the wind blowing through the trees as they stared into each others eyes, and Kagome slowly stood up, giving him a smile and shrugging, quickly turning and looking around the dusty camp for her yellow bag, finding it by the small hut.  
  
Walking over to it, she talked to Inuyasha over her shoulder, "If you stick around I'll have some ramen ready in a few minutes... but you have to behave, got that?"  
  
He snorted without replying, his features blank, and light wind toyed with his long hair while he thought about Kagome's reaction to his words.  
  
'She had just shrugged it off like it was nothing...' He thought, his golden eyes darkening in color and thoughts spiraling, 'I'll never understand her... stupid wench.'  
  
With that last thought he nodded his head, watching Kagome dig through her yellow bag the whole time he had been thinking, and he glanced up at the sky in faint surprise when a drop of rain hit him right on the nose.  
  
Studying the swirling dark gray mass of clouds that stretched beyond sight, he wondered how long it would be before it started raining, drenching them without mercy, a slight smile coming to his lips at the image forming in his head.  
  
Over at the entrance to the hut, Shippo poked his head out, glancing at the lost in thought dog demon before racing over to Kagome and asking, "Is it safe to come out yet? Miroku has fed Kirara the antidotes and Sango says if she is cooped up with that 'lecherous, no-good, lousy monk' she will scream."  
  
With a laugh, Kagome stopped her movements in preparing the ramen to turn to Inuyasha, replying, "Of course it is, Inuyasha is going to behave... right?"  
  
Breaking out of his daydreaming, Inuyasha 'keh'-ed, turning away from her smiling face and tucking his hands in his sleeves, nose twitching at the wonderful smell of cooking ramen.  
  
Turning back to her bag with a small smile, Kagome laughed silently at his twitching nose, her eyes twinkling with happiness as she started digging through the bag once again.  
  
"It's safe!" Shippo shouted before raiding Kagome's bag after she turned away, and Inuyasha rolled his eyes in disbelief, turning his head towards the hut door when Miroku walked out, a goofy smile on the monk's face, his arm around a wary Sango's waist, who was holding Kirara in her arms.  
  
"Sango!" Kagome shouted, abandoning the cooking ramen to rush over to her friend and give her a gentle hug, "I'm so happy to see you doing better! It seemed like forever."  
  
"It was only a couple days..." The angry hanyou growled, focusing on Sango and adding, "Are you ready to go? That wench won't..."  
  
"Sit!"  
  
"Ahhhh!" Growls could be heard from him while he twitched on the ground, leaving Miroku to move over and sit next to him, the goofy smile slowly disappearing and the normal unreadable expression replacing it.  
  
With a sigh of impatience, Kagome turned from Inuyasha, announcing, "You said you would behave... Oh, you must be tired Sango! Come over here and si... rest!"  
  
Her laughter echoed around the camp as Inuyasha glared at her, not liking her little joke of almost sending him to the ground once again, and he sat up, turning his attention away from her and studying the serious looking Miroku.  
  
'How the hell did he manage to come out of that hut conscious when he was in there with a girl... Sango no less?' Inuyasha asked himself, turning his attention from the monk to Kagome, his eyes narrowing with interest when he picked up on what she was asking Sango, "...and rest, don't worry about Inuyasha. Now, are you sure you are okay? You seem a little... sad."  
  
"I feel fine..." Sango replied softly, slowly sitting down next to Miroku without looking at Kagome, a deep frown between her brows, "But... it's... oh, nothing really."  
  
"Don't nothing me! It's Kohaku isn't it? You're upset because Naraku took off with him once again..." Kagome announced, her frown turning into a reassuring smile as she enveloped Sango in a hug, adding, "Everything will turn out alright... I promise we'll save him next time."  
  
When Kagome moved away, she wiped at her eyes, giving Sango a bright smile before turning to her bag and starting to dig through it, freezing when she heard Inuyasha mutter, "Humans and their pathetic emo..."  
  
"Sit." She shouted, hearing his cry and the thud that followed, but her attention was on her bag, surprised to see Shippo sitting inside it, eating the remaining chocolate from her last trip home.  
  
Behind her Sango coughed into her hand at the dog demon's muttering, trying to cover a laugh while Miroku sat in silence, looking to the world as if he were deep in thought, and Sango's laughing abruptly stopped when she felt a pressure on her rear.  
  
Eyebrow twitching, she stood up, screaming, "PERVERT!" before soundly slapping him on the cheek, and Kagome turned with Shippo in her arms, both of them rolling their eyes in exasperation at the scene that met their eyes.  
  
Holding his hands up in surrender, Miroku looked at Sango with a confused look, enhanced by the red handprint on his cheek, and innocently asking, "What did I do?"  
  
While Sango muttered darkly, Inuyasha sat up, sending a glare towards Kagome before glancing at the ramen and asking, "Is it done yet?"  
  
Rolling her eyes with a laugh, Kagome handed Shippo to Sango and turned towards the ramen, going to scoop it, but she froze, sensing something moving towards them.  
  
"Jewel shards..." She whispered, glancing towards the direction she detected them from, and Inuyasha stood up, turning towards Sango and announcing, "You stay here and watch our stuff, we'll go..."  
  
"No, I'm coming with! Kirara!" She cut him off, hopping on the transformed Kirara's back along with Miroku, but not without a deathly look warning him no funny stuff.  
  
"Sango, are you sure?" Kagome asked, quickly getting onto Inuyasha's back along with Shippo, and Sango nodded.  
  
Inuyasha glanced back at Kagome, his golden eyes asking her approval, and she nodded slightly, whispering, "Let's go."  
  
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Letz move on to the next chappie, eh?  
  
Hugz N Kissez, Ali 


	2. Offer

Offer  
  
"You're here..." A voice whispered, followed by a soft rustling and the sound of footsteps walking across the wooden floor.  
  
"Yes, I have returned..." Came the reply, a sultry feminine voice that sharply contrasted the other deep voice, and the whispering of curtains moving was heard as the standing figure pulled back the curtains, washing the room with light.  
  
The light revealed a figure, covered in blankets, laying on the floor and a woman standing by the curtains, her dark eyes dead to the world.  
  
"Such a pitiful state you are in..." The woman whispered, coming closer to the figure on the floor, her gaze not missing anything, from the black eyes that stared at her in hatred to the Shikon jewels that were imbedded inside of the mostly transparent body.  
  
"You think you can heal yourself with those... but only with my help could you do that." She whispered, going to her knees beside the body, laying her flawless hands on the blankets and closing her eyes, "I have an offer for you. It is one I believe you could never turn up."  
  
"Does this not remind you of the old days my dear?" The prone figure asked, causing the woman to open her eyes and look into the black ones, replying, "No, because now I am dealing with a much stronger thing than the human I once knew..."  
  
"Ah, but that is not true... I was nearly destroyed by a mere miko... your reincarnation I might add."  
  
"Yes... my dear reincarnation..." Venom filled her voice, eyes flashing the slightest in anger, quickly returning to the dull, lifeless look they had earlier, "Then you shall indeed agree with my offer. You want to get the Shikon Jewel in order to get more power... I wish to destroy Inuyasha... we both wish to rid of my nuisance of a reincarnation... am I correct on these assumptions?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"We both can accomplish these things, but it all depends upon one thing."  
  
"...And that is?"  
  
"My reincarnation. We are not powerful enough, even together, to destroy her without certain actions..."  
  
"Not powerful enough? How could your reincarnation be more powerful than you?"  
  
"She... is of a purer form, her intentions true.. but that is of no importance, it shall only aid us..."  
  
Silence descended upon the room, the woman shifting the slightest, and the figure on the floor whispered, "Explain this offer of yours."  
  
"In order to fulfill everything we wish, we must get my reincarnation's power. I offer to work with you in planning and following out these plans in getting the power."  
  
"Why do I need your help... and what shall you get from helping my dear?"  
  
"Without me you shall destroy the power you search for instead of gaining it... and with you gaining this power, it shall make my task of eliminating Inuyasha much easier. Thus we are free to search for the Shikon Jewel shard fragments."  
  
"I find this plan quite intriguing. I accept your offer."  
  
A bright blue light surrounded the both of them, quickly disappearing, and the woman opened her closed eyes, whispering, "I have restored your body with my power."  
  
The laying figure stood, taking her hands in his own, and whispering, "Shall we start Kikyo?"  
  
"Yes Naraku..."  
  
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Leaping from tree to tree, Inuyasha led the traveling group, Kagome and Shippo on his back, Sango and Miroku on Kirara's back.  
  
"I sense a lot of jewel shards..." Kagome whispered, settling her chin on Inuyasha's shoulder and gazing into the forest depths while Inuyasha rested on a tree branch, waiting for Kirara to catch up with them.  
  
"Kagome... it's too quiet..." Shippo whispered, tightening his hold on Kagome's shirt, and she started to hush him, freezing when a roar sounded behind them, shaking the trees with its ferocity.  
  
Gasping, Kagome turned to see the source of the sound, opening her mouth and shouting, "It's right..."  
  
The breath was knocked out of Inuyasha and his passengers as the demon tackled him, sending all four of them to the ground in various directions, with gasps from Kagome and Shippo, a cackle from the demon, and growl from Inuyasha.  
  
"Wench, you let it sneak up on us!" He shouted, rolling to his feet and swiftly pulling Tetsusiaga from its sheath, his back to Kagome as she clenched her teeth, getting to her feet despite the throbbing pain in her leg.  
  
Walking over to Shippo and scooping him up in her arms, she turned to study the demon with narrowed eyes, surprised to see it was no bigger than the young kitsune she held.  
  
The thing that caused her eyes to widen, though, were the shining points all over its body, indicating jewel shards... a total of five from short, stubby legs that looked like rotting vines twisted together and two in each of its arms.  
  
Chills ran up her spine when she noticed the two moldy green eyes that stared at Inuyasha with evil intent, their sunken depths making its body seem ancient.  
  
"It's got nine jewel shards Inuyasha!" Kagome cried with a stray thought wondering how the hell it got that many, but she shoved it to the back of her mind when Kirara burst the forest foliage with Sango and Miroku on her back.  
  
The young miko's attention quickly returned back to Inuyasha, watching as he charged at the demon with a shout, swinging the transformed Tetsusiaga without mercy, but the demon dodged the attack with such speed no one saw it move, leaving Inuyasha sputtering in surprise, his sword extended forward.  
  
Catching sight of the demon, Sango shouted to Inuyasha in warning, but she was too late, the demon hitting the hanyou square in the back, sending him face first into moist ground.  
  
The demon bounced off the dog demon with a cackle, and Inuyasha lifted his head, glaring at it, his ears flattened back and golden eyes flashing dangerously, gracefully getting to his feet as his hand on the Tetsusaiga tightened, a determined look settling on his face.  
  
Kagome watched, knowing that Inuyasha would come out victor no matter the odds, and all she had to do was sit back and watch.  
  
With a snort, she laughed inwardly, asking herself, 'Since when have I just sat back and watched as Inuyasha fought?'  
  
Looking down at Shippo in her arms, Kagome opened her mouth to tell him to go over with Sango and Miroku who were sitting on the transformed Kirara, but froze, a painful pricking in her back just as she lost total feeling in her body.  
  
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To those who reviewed: Thanks!  
  
~Divine-Heart N Glory230~  
  
Letz move on to the next chappie, eh?  
  
Hugz N Kissez, Ali 


	3. The Threat

The Threat  
  
'I control you now...' A chilling, malicious voice whispered inside Kagome's head, sending shivers up and down her spine while she stood there transfixed, watching Inuyasha attempt to hit the shard infested demon.  
  
'Who are you?' She shouted in her mind, the pain in her back making her wince...if she could move, 'What do you mean you control me?!?'  
  
Dark laughter filled her head after this comment, and panic flared inside her when the voice replied, 'You shall find out who I am soon enough... but let me show you what I mean for now.'  
  
Kagome seemed to float away from her body, up into the sky where she could see the whole layout of the area... even herself standing there with Shippo in her arms, watching Inuyasha with darkening eyes.  
  
'That... that's me.' She thought, staring down at herself, but the cold laughter filled her head once again, seeming to come from nowhere and everywhere.  
  
'What's going on?!?' The cry echoed through her head, like a never-ending verse, and the malicious voice spoke up once again, 'Let the fun begin...'  
  
Lost in confusion, Kagome dazedly realized it looked like it was going to rain, the dark clouds swirling above them, the wind picking up...  
  
"Inuyasha, watch it!" Sango shouted from the sidelines, her shout breaking Kagome out of her reverie and she glanced down from her position in the sky to where Inuyasha was dodging the demon, a furious look on his face, hands sweaty and hair a mess.  
  
"Sit!" The shout sent the dog demon to the ground with a cry of shock, having come from the Kagome on the ground holding Shippo.  
  
'I... I didn't do that...' the real Kagome thought to herself, watching in horror as the demon jumped high into the air, coming down with a crunch on Inuyasha's vulnerable back.  
  
His scream filled the air, ringing in Kagome's ears long after it ended, and the voice returned, chuckling with glee, 'I can make you do anything I wish...'  
  
"Sit! Sit! Sit!" The Kagome impersonator shouted, sending Inuyasha deeper into the ground, muffled obscenities filling the air, along with the cackling of the demon, and a shout from Miroku, "Lady Kagome, what are you doing?"  
  
'Stop it! Stop it now!' Kagome shouted to the voice as Inuyasha forced himself to his feet, giving Kagome a confused glance before turning and defending himself from the cackling demon.  
  
'It had seemed impossible to beat him with you around...' The voice announced, lowering to a soft whisper, and the Kagome below gave an evil grin before shouting, "SIT!"  
  
Another thud from Inuyasha, causing Kagome's heart to squeeze painfully as the voice continued on, 'But now I know how. With you two working as a team, defeating you was impossible... but now I have control of you... thus having control of him.  
  
"Sit, sit, sit!" The shout echoed around the forest just after Inuyasha regained his feet, and he went down once again, he's cry of outrage quickly following the command.  
  
'Oh no, oh no, oh no...' Kagome moaned, wanting to stop herself but not knowing how, and the voice continued, 'It will be almost too easy to destroy him now... thanks to you Kagome.'  
  
"What's the matter with you wench?" Slowly getting to his feet, Inuyasha looked beyond angry, but confusion was also there, making him resemble a little boy.  
  
'Oh, I don't want to hurt Inuyasha! No, no, no, no, no, NO!' Kagome screamed inside her head, but those weren't the words that came from her lips, instead they were an evil sounding laugh and, "Sit, sit, sit, sit, sit, SIT!"  
  
Slamming down continuously into the ground with sickening cracks, Inuyasha was once again at the mercy of the demon that used his body as a punching bag, cackling with glee the whole time.  
  
"Ka-Kagome! Why are you hurting... Inu-Inuyasha?" A crying Shippo shouted, huddled in her arms with tears rolling down his cheeks, and Kagome turned her attention from him, glancing down at Sango and Miroku hearing them shout their own confusion at her.  
  
'No! I will not allow you to do as you wish...' Kagome shouted to the voice, floating back to her body, the pain in her back unbearable, and a scream was torn from her lips, echoing through the forest.  
  
'You shall not win so easily Kagome...' The voice whispered, the pain throughout her body intensifying, and she felt her control of her body returning, though the malicious voice did not disappear without a threat, 'You won't be able to deny me next time...'  
  
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"The main goal is to get my reincarnation's power... and that shall prove to be the most difficult part." Kikyo whispered, turning from the battle scene, a scream filling the air, and Naraku turned his black eyes to the miko, whispering, "She has broken my control."  
  
"Yes, we knew she would be able to that easily. Such a selfless girl... the only time she uses her power is when those she cares for are threatened."  
  
"How shall we get this power....... I mean, what is her power?"  
  
Looking up at Naraku with shining eyes, Kikyo grinned, an evil, chilling one, whispering, "Her power is her spirit..."  
  
"Her spirit? Why did you tell me to control her then? Why not just take her and get the power?"  
  
"Taking her would have done no good... she is protected."  
  
"Protected? How could her spirit be protected?"  
  
"Inuyasha." Kikyo spit the name out as if it tasted bad, her eyes bleak and dead, leaving Naraku to turn from her, staring at the cloudy sky above, and she continued, her tone bitter, "The protection comes from her connection with Inuyasha."  
  
"How do we rid of this protection? Destroy Inuyasha... thus destroying the connection?"  
  
"No, that would only increase her power... we can't break the connection by force or death. She must do it willingly, and how we make her do that is by making her the source of his pain."  
  
"That is why you had me control her..."  
  
"Yes, that bitch shall now break the connection thinking she is saving her precious hanyou from herself, not knowing she is sealing her fate. Her spirit shall then be vulnerable... and all you must do is break her spirit in order to get to her power."  
  
Wrapping her arms around Naraku's neck, she laughed softly, staring into his black eyes, and he whispered, "How utterly wicked..."  
  
"Yes, thanks to you love..." She replied, brushing her lips against his, quickly pulling from his embrace, "I must go... unfinished business..."  
  
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To those who reviewed: Thanks!  
  
~Mattielover, Arrow, Tiger of the Wind, Cat, SailorKagome, Queen of Blades, Divin-Heart, N Glory230~  
  
Letz move on to the next chappie, eh?  
  
Hugz N Kissez, Ali 


	4. Painful Goodbye

Painful Goodbye  
  
With that last threat, the malicious voice left, allowing her control of her own body, and her scream ended on a gasp, her lungs burning from lack of oxygen.  
  
Falling to her knees, Kagome reached an arm behind her, touching the source of pain on her back and wincing, then roughly grabbing it and bringing it eye level, seeing it was a jewel shard, slowly changing from a dark black to its natural color.  
  
Tears filled her eyes while she vaguely noted her friends' worried voices around her, but when she raised her head, she only saw Inuyasha, his golden eyes darkened dangerously as he stared at her.  
  
Still holding Shippo in one arm, Kagome fought the tears that threatened to fall, noticing all the scratches and bruises that covered the dog demon's body...all because of her.  
  
Suddenly she realized the demon wasn't attacking anymore so she turned to look for it, but Inuyasha announced, "It left when you started screaming wench."  
  
Wincing, Kagome drug her gaze back to the hanyou's, biting her lip to fight from crying out in anguish, 'It wasn't my fault...'  
  
"Are you okay Kagome? Wh..." Shippo began in her arms, his words penetrating her numbness, but Inuyasha cut him off, walking up to her and demanding, "What did you think you were doing wench?"  
  
"I-I didn't d-do it..." She whispered, lowering her head trying to avoid his gaze, but he grabbed her chin, forcing her to look at him, his claws biting into her flesh.  
  
"What the hell? You didn't do it... could have fooled me! Why did you do it?" Inuyasha shouted, his eyes speaking his pain at her believed betrayal, and Kagome felt anger build inside her at how easily he could believe she would purposely want to hurt him.  
  
She stood quickly, dropping Shippo in her anger, leaving him to run over to Miroku and hop into his arms.  
  
"Damn it, I said I didn't do it! Don't you understand? It wasn't me!"  
  
"Who was it then? Let me guess, Shippo wanted revenge and made you do it himself! That was just payback right? You had nothing to do with it!"  
  
"No... I don't know who it was... but it has nothing to do with Shippo! This is between you and me, so leave him out of it!"  
  
"Exactly my point wench!" Inuyasha yelled, hands clenched in anger and eyes flashing in anger while Kagome did the same, the jewel shard pressing painfully into her palm, "I could have died thanks to you!"  
  
The breath caught in Kagome's chest with his last comment, and she froze, her thoughts switching back to the battle, 'I could have killed him...'  
  
Silence hung in the air while Kagome stood there, staring at the confused hanyou as a heavy weight settled upon her heart, and she slowly took a step forward, her mind jumbled except for the voice's threat, 'You won't be able to deny me next time...'  
  
She finally understood the true meaning behind those words, and with this understanding came a heart-wrenching conclusion.  
  
'If I stay around Inuyasha... I will be a threat to him...'She told herself, slowly lifting her gaze to Inuyasha's confused one, tears filling her eyes when she realized what she must do, 'I must leave...to keep him safe...'  
  
Walking slowly towards the dog demon, Kagome lifted her hand to her chest, slowly wrapping it around the partially completed Shikon Jewel and with a snap the thread that held it there broke without resistance.  
  
She held tightly onto the small shard fragment in her other hand that she had pulled from her back, knowing it would be her only way home, and she could send it back through the well once she was through, allowing Inuyasha to complete the Shikon Jewel without her help.  
  
Less than a foot from Inuyasha, Kagome stopped, still studying the dog demon with tear filled eyes, realizing how much she was going to miss him while a lone tear slipped down her cheek.  
  
With an ironic laugh inwardly, she realized it had started to rain, lightly yet surely, and she continued studying the half demon, memorizing every single feature of him, from his deeply confused golden eyes, dampened silverfish white hair, to the adorable dog ears that were twitching from the falling rain, knowing this would be the last time she ever saw him.  
  
Gathering all her will power, Kagome rose to her toes, wrapping her arms around Inuyasha's neck, their mouths so close their breaths mingled, and she whispered, "I'm so sorry..."  
  
Noting the raindrops that clung to his long eyelashes, Kagome swallowed her misery, snapping the imaginary thread that held the rosary beads, and she closed her eyes, leaning her forehead against Inuyasha's.  
  
His warm breath brushing against her lips made her tingle inside, and tying the thread that held the partially completed Shikon Jewel around his neck, Kagome slowly opened her eyes, lowering back down until her heels touched the ground.  
  
'So this is how it ends...'She thought, slowly stepping away from him, hiding the rosary beads behind her back, and she was glad it was raining, for it hid the tears that ran down her cheeks.  
  
Inuyasha watched her with wide eyes, his lips parted the slightest in shock, standing with his legs braced apart, arms hanging limply at his sides, and Kagome attempted to smile, failing miserably, so she reached a hand up and brushed it against his cheek.  
  
"I can't keep my promise... I'll miss you so much...good-bye..." With those last words, Kagome turned with a sob just as the heavens opened up, a downpour of rain covering the cry that was torn from her heart, and she ran without another word into the forest.  
  
Running for what felt like forever, she was soon fighting for every breath, her tears blinding her along with the rain, and she tripped, rolling down a muddied hill to the dirty water below.  
  
Pain filled every part of her, yet none so much as her heart, and she pounded her fists on the ground, screaming, "Why did it have to end like this! Why?"  
  
Clutching the rosary beads to her chest, she cried, knowing her despair was covered by the rain and that she was alone to dwell in it, and she realized the weather was merely mimicking her own feelings, the gusting wind her own tormented emotions, the rain her tears, and the lightning that flashed across the sky her pain.  
  
With one last pound on the ground, her fists throbbing in pain, Kagome fought to stop the tears, deciding it was time to go home, but froze when a wicked laugh filled the air, causing Kagome to tense in recognition.  
  
Lifting her head, she stared up at the figure above her with wide eyes, drawing in a breath to scream for help...  
  
********* ************* ********* ********* ********* *************** *********  
  
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~Shadow Wrath, Tiger of the Wind, Mattie~  
  
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Hugz N Kissez, Ali 


	5. Kidnapped

Kidnapped  
  
Lifting her eyes to the figure above her, Kagome opened her mouth to scream for help, but froze, studying the laughing figure above her and whispering, "Kikyo..."  
  
The dead miko silenced her laughter, her dead eyes boring into Kagome's own eyes, causing goose bumps to rise over Kagome's body while the rain continued to drench her, and she numbly noted the figure in front of her was perfectly dry, her long beautiful hair floating in a wind only known to the dead, her clothes ruffled and not soggy from the rain.  
  
A cold smile came to Kikyo's lips when she spotted the rosary beads her reincarnation clutched to her chest, and Kikyo's demons lowered her to the ground until she stood by herself, taking the rosary beads from the shaking Kagome.  
  
"The connection is broken..." Kikyo announced, her eyes flashing in victory, but she froze, scanning the scraped and soaking girl in front of her, a small frown marring her beautiful face, "Where are the jewel shards?"  
  
Snapping from her stumped daze as Kikyo reached forward and opened her palm, taking the one small jewel shard that she needed to get home, Kagome felt anger well inside her, burying the misery in its wrath, and she stood, shouting, "Inuyasha has the jewel shards because I'm done helping him look for them! You don't have to worry about me anymore, even though he never loved me, he loves you Kikyo! I-I..."  
  
Laughter cut her off, coming from Kikyo with a vengeance, leaving Kagome to stand there, rain running down her cheeks like rivers of tears, and Kikyo toyed with a strand of her hair, whispering, "Worry about you? I have never worried about you... and he has the jewel shards! Just one more reason to kill him."  
  
"Kill him?" Kagome gasped, grabbing the rosary beads from Kikyo unconsciously, clutching them in her shaking hands while she tried to stop her chaotic thoughts, "What do you mean? You love him! You couldn't hurt him... you both love each other!"  
  
"You stupid girl, Inuyasha believes I love him... I'll admit I did once, but that was mere stupidity on my part."  
  
"How could you say that? You..."  
  
"The only reason I thought myself in love with that mutt was because of the freedom he represented... but my true love, Naraku, showed me that power is love..."  
  
"Naraku? How could you love the man that killed you? Inu..."  
  
"Inuyasha failed to protect me when he promised he always would! I shall kill him for that, and take the jewel shards back... no thanks to you Kagome."  
  
Kikyo's demons surrounded her body, lifting her up into the air, and Kagome fought the tears that threatened to fall, her body so numb she stumbled when she moved forward, grabbing Kikyo's arm and shouting, "You won't hurt Inuyasha!"  
  
A scream came from Kikyo's lips, pain tearing at her arm where her reincarnation was gripping her, and Kikyo slapped her across the cheek, sending her to the ground while she stared at her arm where dark black marks were deeply imprinted.  
  
Glancing at Kikyo from the ground, Kagome realized she had created those marks when she touched her, and laying a hand on her bruised cheek, she silently wondered how she did it.  
  
"You bitch! I shall make Inuyasha suffer thanks to you..." Kikyo shouted, giving the dazed girl on the ground one hard kick to the gut before trailing off into the sky, her expression dark.  
  
Shaking her head to clear the haziness that shrouded her, Kagome struggled to get to her feet, stifling a cry of pain, her main focus on getting to Inuyasha and warning him of Kikyo.  
  
She noticed the rain had nearly stopped falling, just light sprinkles now, and she stumbled into a clearing, slowly walking over to the stream that curved through the lush wet grass.  
  
Catching her reflection in the rippling water, Kagome stared, a deep bruise already forming on her cheek from Kikyo's vicious slap, her hair dripping wet, filthy from her roll down the hill, and her ruined school uniform was ripped, torn, and dirty.  
  
'Oh Inuyasha...what am I to do?' She asked herself, wiping away tears, and she gazed up at the sky, wondering how everything could go wrong so fast, 'Why? Why do I have to be the threat?'  
  
She lowered her gaze back to the water, taking a deep breath to steady her turbulent emotions, but did a swift turn when she spotted someone's face in the water, the one that caused so much pain to those she cared for...  
  
"Naraku!" She shouted, eyes widening in fear, and she followed her first impulse: scream and run, but when she started to run, her shoes silpped on the wet grass below her.  
  
Smiling coldly, Naraku grabbed her wrist, stopping her in her tracks, and whispered, "You won't be able to deny me next time..."  
  
Heart clenching painfully, Kagome stopped her fighting, slowly turning towards him, chin resting on her chest as she realized it was him who had been controlling her, and a raging fury ignited inside her.  
  
"Do you have any clue what you did you bastard? Well, you won't be able to harm Inuyasha anymore because I..." Kagome started, moving forward and pounding on his chest angrily, in some part of her mind realizing he was completely dry to the touch, but he sneered, winding his hands around her throat.  
  
"You're right... I shall not harm Inuyasha... that shall be Kikyo's pleasure. But for you..." Naraku whispered, lifting her off her feet into the air, his hands tightening their hold around her neck, stopping her from drawing in the air she so desperately needed, and Kagome stared up at the dark sky, everything hazy from the rain.  
  
Tears ran down her cheeks as she fought for a breath, hands digging at Naraku's, but they soon fell limp to her sides, her vision blurring and a numbness settling over her.  
  
The rosary beads dropped from her limp hand, landing without a sound on the wet grass below her, and before the darkness engulfed her completely, one last thought floated through her hazy mind.  
  
'Inuyasha...'  
  
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To those who reviewed: Thanks!  
  
~Braisuli, SailorKagome, Lunemangelus, Ice, N Glory230~  
  
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Hugz N Kissez, Ali 


	6. Gone

Gone  
  
Staring at the spot where Kagome had been standing in less than a second ago, Inuyasha lifted his hand to his tingling cheek, where Kagome had brushed her hand against it, the scent of her tears still teasing his sensitive nose.  
  
"Kag... Kagome?" He whispered, the pouring rain drenching him while he stood there, and he heard a shout from behind him as he instinctively caught the kitsune that went to race past him.  
  
"Let me go! I have to go to Kagome! Inuyasha!" Shippo shouted, squirming in the dog demon's hold, tears running down his youthful face, and Miroku appeared at the dazed hanyou's side, whispering, "It appears Lady Kagome is quite upset."  
  
"She should be! She..." Inuyasha started, his temper rising, but Sango cut him off, eyes flashing angrily as she got up in his face, shouting, "What you said to her was totally uncalled for! How could..."  
  
Silence descended upon the group when she stopped speaking, instead staring at something directly below Inuyasha's chin, and he growled, shouting back, "I did nothing wrong! It was that wench! And you're not going anywhere Shippo!"  
  
"I have to go help Kagome! Who knows what is out there that will harm her!"  
  
"She'll be fine, she'll go home, pout for a while, then come right back!"  
  
"No she won't, she's not coming back!"  
  
"Yes she is damn it!"  
  
"No she isn't Inuyasha..." Sango whispered, reaching out and grabbing what she was looking at, pulling at it, but Inuyasha growled, moving away from her reach and shouting, "The stupid rosary beads can only be removed by Kag..."  
  
His eyes widened, jaw dropped, and his breath whooshed out of his mouth when Sango opened her hand, revealing the partially completed Shikon Jewel sitting on her palm, and with his free hand, Inuyasha reached up and felt for the missing rosary beads.  
  
"Where... where'd they go?"  
  
"Oh noooo!" Shippo cried, staring at the jewel shards in Sango's hand, and he burst into tears once again, continuing, "Now Kagome can't even get home! I have to go help her!"  
  
"Ah, it makes sense now..." Miroku whispered, closing his eyes when Inuyasha dropped Shippo and spun around, grabbing the monk's robes and growling, "What the hell does that mean?"  
  
"Lady Kagome spoke a few words before she left...saying she couldn't keep her promise, meaning she wasn't going to help us look for the jewel shards anymore. That is why she gave what she had of the Shikon Jewel to Inuyasha so he could continue without her. And her other words..."  
  
"I'll miss you so much..." Inuyasha repeated, remembering her last words before she said goodbye, causing his heart to thud painfully against his chest, and he fought the pain, shouting, "Like I care whether or not she is going to help me? Feh, I'm glad she took those damn rosary beads off! Now nothing can stop me from getting the Shikon Jewel!"  
  
Growling in anger, Inuyasha went quiet as silence descended upon the group, each of them trying to figure out what would be best to do as the rain slowed to a steady drizzle, but Shippo broke it, all of them surprised that he hadn't run off looking for her yet, "We have to go find her."  
  
"I agree, she hasn't anyway to get through the well, so it is best that she returned with us." Miroku added, glancing at the pale Sango who was holding onto Kirara for support, and he changed his mind, saying, "Never mind, I'll take Sango back to..."  
  
He stopped mid-sentence when a scream filled the air, one that sounded like...  
  
"Kagome!" Inuyasha shouted, his dog-like ears swiveling towards the direction the scream came from, and bounded off the ground and into the trees without hesitation, sniffing the air for her scent, not able to pick it up due to the heavy rain that had just drenched them.  
  
Suddenly he caught it, entwined with another, fouler scent, and he quickly followed the scents as they got stronger and stronger, until he came to a clearing where there was a stream, stopping quickly.  
  
Studying the area intently, he realized there was no one in sight, but a small object next to the stream caught his attention.  
  
He slowly walked towards it, noticing her scent was spiked with fear, and when he was close enough to identify the object was, it felt like someone had struck him with a dagger in the gut and twisted it painfully.  
  
Falling to his knees without a sound, Inuyasha picked up the rosary beads, his eyes glistening as the wind picked up, blowing his hair about him wildly, and he noted the rosary beads were still warm from being held as the pain inside him became too much, so he let the pain out with a cry, "KAGOME!"  
  
He felt like breaking down and crying, pounding the ground with his fists like a child, the only thing stopping him was his own guilt, and he stared at the sky, clutching the rosary beads as he thought, She's gone...  
  
"Inuyasha! What happened?" Shippo shouted, joining him just as Kirara cleared the trees, Sango and Miroku on her back, their expressions worried. "We've got to find her. she'll be around somewhere..."  
  
The hanyou whispered, standing up and starting into the forest in a trance, clutching the rosary beads like they were his only lifeline, and after nearly an hour of searching, he finally stopped, his eyes downcast.  
  
The rest of the group hung behind, silent, following him as he wandered through the forest, and he finally stopped, rotating to face them, his eyes downcast, chin against his chest.  
  
"Let's go back to camp..." He whispered in a shaky voice, turning and racing through the forest, running to rid himself of the pain that made his whole body feel numb, except for the heaviness that settled in his chest, unrelenting, but his attention was caught by a peculiar smell when they neared the camp.  
  
Opening his eyes when he reached the edge of their camp, Inuyasha gaped in disbelief at the charred remains, his gaze sliding around the camp in search of something, anything, that had survived the fire that had consumed the camp, and his gaze landed on the scorched pot that sat innocently in the middle of the ashes, the ramen inside it burnt and damp from the rain.  
  
'It's all gone...' He thought in disbelief, simply standing there wordlessly in shock, not even noticing when Kirara arrived, with Sango, Miroku, and Shippo on her back.  
  
"Oh my god..." Sango whispered, getting off Kirara slowly, taking in the damage around her, and Miroku simply closed his eyes, not choosing to voice his opinions.  
  
"Oh no!" Shippo cried, dashing into the ashes to where Kagome's bag used to be, now a clump of ashes, and Inuyasha felt his heart constrict when he looked down at the rosary beads in realization.  
  
'It's all gone... Kagome...'  
  
********* ********** ********* ********* ********* ********* ********* *********  
  
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Hugz N Kissez, Ali 


	7. Prisoner

Prisoner  
  
With a sigh, Kikyo pulled from Naraku's arms, quickly dressing, wanting to proceed with the plans without delay.  
  
"Kikyo... must you be in such a hurry to rid the world of that useless Inuyasha? I am sure he won't cause any trouble for he doesn't know who has her..." Naraku whispered, coming up behind her and wrapping his arms around her, his warm breath fanning her ear and causing her body to tingle, but she moved out of his embrace, replying, "Dear Kagome shall be waking up soon... it's been nearly four days. Finish her off quickly and get the power you so desire."  
  
"But Kikyo dear, what shall this power do for me?"  
  
"With it you shall be able to turn into a full demon Naraku." Silence followed this statement, the shadows casted by the fire in the grate dancing on the wall, and Naraku whispered, "That is quite... astounding."  
  
"Yes, and with becoming full demon, your powers will be incomparable... you shall no longer need the Shikon Jewel."  
  
"But I do..."  
  
"Is that true Naraku?"  
  
"Yes my love... once I break your reincarnation's spirit and get her power, you will kill Inuyasha, and we shall be able to complete the Shikon Jewel."  
  
"And what shall you do with the Shikon Jewel?"  
  
"With it I shall wish you back to life, allowing our fate to be fulfilled."  
  
"Yes Naraku... we will be together at last, but remember what I said... you must not kill Kagome, only break her spirit... if you kill her before getting the power, the power shall disappear." Kikyo whispered, then left the room, shutting the door behind her and leaving Naraku to stare at the fire, his eyes gleaming with evil.  
  
--------- --------- ---------  
  
A moan escaped Kagome's dry lips, echoing around her, and she cracked open her eyes, peering into the darkness that surrounded her without interest, her main thoughts centered on the pain that racked her body.  
  
She had awoken many times already, she remembered, but she had simply stood there, dazed, unconnected with her thoughts and the world.  
  
'That is going to end...'  
  
Gathering her determination, she lifted her face, clenching her teeth when the memories of what happened returned, a heavy numbness once again settling over her body.  
  
'I must get out of this place.'  
  
Shifting to relieve some of the soreness of her muscles, she froze when she realized her wrists were chained above her head, and she fought against the chains, creating a clatter of noise as she did so.  
  
"I see you have awakened Kagome." A malicious voice whispered, a dim light appearing at the same moment a figure did, and Kagome squinted, attempting to see whom it was even though she already knew. "Naraku..."  
  
She whispered, fear building inside her, driving away the numbness, and Naraku came closer until he was no farther than a couple inches away, allowing Kagome to see the evil intent in his expression as he stared at her, "What do you want? Why am I here? I hope you know Inuyasha won't come! You won't be able to do whatever you want with him... so let me go now!"  
  
"Ah, you must have patience Kagome. as they say, patience is a virtue. Of course, I know that for a fact... it has seemed like I have wanted the Shikon Jewel forever. Just as your dear hanyou has..."  
  
"What? Inuyasha... yes, of course he has wanted the Shikon Jewel... ever demon or half demon alive wishes for it."  
  
"True, true..."  
  
"Damn it, what has this got to do with me? I don't have anything you want!"  
  
"Incorrect. You have something I want very much.... power."  
  
Kagome stared at him in confusion, her brows furrowed and lower lip jutted out, whispering, "Power? But I don't have any po..."  
  
"Once again you are wrong. Have you already forgotten our last encounter miko? You nearly destroyed me... a little closer to the mark and I wouldn't be standing here right now."  
  
"B-but..."  
  
"Kikyo came to me only a few days after our encounter... she had an offer for me. She wishes to kill Inuyasha, I wish to get the Shikon Jewel, and we both wish to rid of you... her offer was quite interesting."  
  
Attempting to get away from Naraku's unnerving black eyes, Kagome went to turn her back to him, but he stopped her movement by knocking her feet out from underneath her, the chains preventing her from falling all the way to her knees so now she was dangling by her wrists, and he continued on with his story, "I accepted her offer to work together. She informed me of how to get your power...would you like me to tell you Kagome?"  
  
"...very well then..."  
  
"Your power is your spirit."  
  
"My spirit? But how..."  
  
"Yes, your spirit. At first I thought I could just take you and gain this power... Kikyo told me different. Your spirit is pro... was protected thanks to a connection. A certain connection you recently broke, and now your spirit is vulnerable to attack."  
  
"I broke? I did... oh no, your not saying..."  
  
"Inuyasha? Yes, you had a connection with Inuyasha that protected your power if anyone ever tried to take it."  
  
"Inuyasha!" Kagome cried, fighting to stand up, but Naraku's cold smile made her stop as he whispered, "It is time for me to show you how vulnerable your power is. Now that you no longer have Inuyasha's protection..."  
  
Staring at him in horror, Kagome tried to move away from the forefinger that slowly moved closer to her face, but it was useless as the finger touched her cheek, slowly sliding down, an unbearable pain coming from wherever it touched.  
  
Squeezing her eyes shut, she held in the cries of pain that attempted to escape her lips, not wanting to let Naraku see her weakness, and a hiss filled the room, though not from her.  
  
Opening her eyes against the pain, she watched in amazement as Naraku's finger burned to the knuckle, leaving a charred stub, but still the pain remained in her cheek.  
  
A growl came from Naraku's thin lips, sending cold chills throughout Kagome's body, and he battered her body in his anger, punches connecting with her tender flesh without mercy.  
  
Screams and cries of pain escaped her lips while he abused her, his eyes gleaming madly as he did so, soon followed by tears that ran down her cheeks unchecked as she felt herself start to drift into a wonderful numbness, but Naraku would have none of this, quickly grabbing her chin and forcing her to look into his black eyes, one of her own nearly swollen shut thanks to his administrations.  
  
"It seems I still have work to do in order to get your power dear Kagome... but I shall do it with pleasure. Just as I controlled you before, forcing you to hurt Inuyasha." He whispered, grabbing her hair and pulling it, forcing her to crane her neck painfully, and she whimpered, fighting the wave of nausea that threatened to engulf her.  
  
Clenching her teeth increased the pain, and she did so, wanting to hear everything he would tell so she knew what she was up against... what she had to fight.  
  
"Wh-why?" She choked out, her lip swollen and bleeding, leaving Naraku to laugh, replying, "The connection couldn't be broken through force or death... we couldn't just kill Inuyasha and then your power would be free... no, we had to make you break the connection willingly. The only way to do that was by making you the source of his pain, and you broke the connection, believing you were saving him from yourself. But in truth, you have sealed both his and your fates... death."  
  
Darkness fought to pull her under, but Kagome fought it as a misery settled its claws deep into her, so acute it seemed to tear at her very soul, and she wept, whispering, "The...r-rosary beads..."  
  
"Yes, that was the connection between you and Inuyasha, and thanks to you... everything is now perfect."  
  
"No... no...." Head falling to her chest, Kagome gave up to the darkness that quickly swallowed her, the last words that fell from her lips were, "I'm so sorry...Inuyasha..."  
  
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Hugz N Kissez, Ali 


	8. Guilt Stricken

Guilt Stricken  
  
It had been five days. Five days of complete torture since Kagome had disappeared, leaving no trace or clue to where she had gone.  
  
Fingering the rosary beads that lay in his hand, Inuyasha fought the despair that loomed over the horizon, and he lifted the necklace to his nose, sniffing it in attempt to catch a whiff of her scent.  
  
He missed her so much... her laugh, her concern, her smile... he missed everything about her.  
  
'Who would want her? Why?'  
  
The question had sat in his mind like a stone at the bottom of a lake... slowly settling until it was imprinted there where nothing could remove it.  
  
Looking to his other hand, he saw the partially completed Shikon Jewel, his eyes misting when he realized for the thousandth time today that she was gone.  
  
'She doesn't even have any jewel shards... it doesn't make sense...'  
  
Ears flattening back against his head, he fought the tears that clouded his vision, and with deft hands he quickly tied the thread of the jewel shards around his neck, taking the rosary beads in both hands.  
  
They felt so smooth... like Kagome's skin almost.  
  
Shaking his head, he returned his attention back to the problem at hand, knowing he wasn't going to get anywhere by thinking about her.  
  
Studying the rosary beads in his hands intently, his thoughts wandered back to the day when everything had turned upside down... his thoughts, his feelings, his life.  
  
'Why did you run? What could you have been thinking?' He asked Kagome, knowing she wouldn't be able to answer, and his throat tightened, a lump rising in it, making it difficult to swallow.  
  
"Kagome..." He whispered brokenly, his golden eyes deepening in color as everything blurred, her face coming to mind, but it wasn't the normal happy and smiling face... instead it was tear filled eyes, her lower lip trembling, hair wet and rain drops running down her face, mixed with tears that held a salty scent.  
  
Remembering her soft hand as it brushed his cheek, her warm breath washing over his lips, he wished more than anything that everything was normal.  
  
'Oh Kagome...'  
  
Rubbing the rosary beads between his fingers, he continued contemplating, 'Who would want his jewel shard detector? His Kagome?'  
  
Blinking to rid himself of the moistness in his eyes, he stared over the tree tops at the sun, his eyes narrowing against its brightness, but even it seemed to remind him of Kagome.  
  
Growling, Inuyasha shifted on the tree branch he sat on, switching his attention back to his original thoughts, trying to figure out any clue he might have missed that would help him find Kagome.  
  
"Inuyasha!" The voice startled him from his thoughts, nearly causing him to fall from the tree, but he steadied himself, glancing down and seeing Sango standing below him with a worried expression.  
  
A spark of hope filled him when he saw her, the first one since Kagome had disappeared, and he shouted down at her, his eyes wide, ears perked forward, "What? Did you find Kagome? Did you find where she..."  
  
"No, we haven't found a thing. We need to head back to Keade's village though." She cut him off, her face pale, eyes bloodshot, and she had the suspicious scent of tears floating about her.  
  
Guilt filled him when he realized how the others must be taking this, but it was pushed aside by anger, reflexively covering the pain that tore him asunder.  
  
"What? What about Kagome? We have to find her..."  
  
"Inuyasha! We've searched the whole forest here more times than I can count and we haven't found a trace!"  
  
"She'll come back, I know it!"  
  
"No! We haven't had edible food for five days and you have injuries that need to be attended!"  
  
Another bout of guilt tore through Inuyasha as he thought, 'Kagome was the one who supplied us with everything... now that she's gone, we don't have anything... all because of me...'  
  
"Inuyasha!" Sango shouted again, realizing she had lost his concentration, but still he didn't respond to her.  
  
Studying him with a critical eyes, she realized he wasn't even aware of anything going on around him, and she fought the urge to cuss him out, her nerves nearly stretched to the limit from Kagome's missing, though she wasn't the worst of the lot.  
  
Of course Miroku was handling it well, he simply crawled deeper into his shell of solitude, but Shippo wasn't the same... he had stopped eating, stopped talking, stopped... living.  
  
Misery washed over Sango as she thought about the dealings of the group, tears once again filling her eyes, and she fought them down, refusing to cry anymore... what good did it do?  
  
'Oh Kagome... wherever you are, return to us...' She thought, staring up at the hanyou above her, realizing what he must be going through, and pity quickly replaced the anger she had been feeling towards him, 'He's probably the worst off out of all of us... think of all the guilt he must be feeling...poor Inuyasha...'  
  
Noticing that his ears were drooping and his eyes becoming misty, she her pity aside, resorting to a slim hope to get him to come as she shouted, "Inuyasha, if anything, there is a better chance that Kagome will be at Kaede's village rather than wandering around here in the forest! So, whether or not you care, we're leaving."  
  
Watching her leave, Inuyasha understood she was just as upset as him that Kagome was gone, but she didn't have guilt tearing her apart, like a shadow, always there to remind him.  
  
Holding the rosary beads with sweaty hands, he stared at the necklace, and reaching a hand up he held onto the partially completed Shikon Jewel, his thoughts once again churning.  
  
'These are the only two things I have of Kagome...'  
  
Shaking his head, Inuyasha tried to clear his head from thoughts of Kagome, but failed sadly, her face still lingering, 'Kaede's village. I have to get there and see if Kagome is there.'  
  
Jumping off his tree branch, the rosary beads still clutched safely in his hand, Inuyasha stopped in his tracks as the scent of dirt and bones reached his sensitive nose, quickly followed by Kikyo, carried by her demons.  
  
Landing on the ground without a sound, Kikyo studied Inuyasha, and he stared at her, wondering if she was a illusion, but one look at her dead eyes and he knew it was her.  
  
"Kikyo..." He whispered, his mind going totally blank like it always did whenever she appeared, and she came closer, her gaze lidded as she whispered, "Inuyasha."  
  
"What are you doing here?" He whispered hoarsely, his hold on the rosary beads tightening until his knuckles turned white, and she didn't reply, instead studying him in silence.  
  
Golden eyes flashing, he sniffed the air, picking up another scent that was mixed with hers, and he opened his mouth to comment, but suddenly a searing pain on his cheek made him cry out in pain, falling to the ground.  
  
Touching his burning cheek with his free hand, Inuyasha's eyes widened as a vision filled his mind.  
  
A sharp hiss sounded... a hand moving back, one of the fingers burning all the way to the knuckle, leaving a charred stub..... a growl of anger... and the soft rustle of movement... then the sickening sound of flesh meeting flesh... over... and over... and over... each and everyone of them followed by a cry of pain... slowly subsiding into sobs... all of those sounds of agony... misery... pain... all of them... coming from the one he once held so close... but was now beyond his reach...  
  
"Kagome!" Inuyasha cried, blinking as the vision vanished, only the sounds of her sobs echoing in his head, and still he clutched the rosary beads in his hand as he slowly stood up, his gaze on Kikyo, gasping for breath from the pain that had ripped through him.  
  
Kikyo's own eyes had widened when he had shouted her reincarnation's name, an anger seething inside her, but it doubled when she saw the rosary beads clutched tightly in his hand.  
  
'How could I let such a mishap occur?' She asked herself, quickly thinking of a way to get the necklace, and she returned her features to her normal expressionless features, whispering, "I have come to assist you..."  
  
"Assist me?" Inuyasha whispered, slowly breaking from the daze he was in, and Kikyo nodded the slightest, replying, "I heard you lost your jewel shard detector."  
  
"How did you find out?" He shouted, coming closer to her, the heaviness in his chest doubling, and a nagging suspicion popping up, but she silenced his thoughts, replying, "I have been watching you for a while now."  
  
He studied her, not sure if he should believe her or not, but she once again interrupted his thoughts by whispering, "I can search for this girl, but I require something in order to do so."  
  
"Require something? What do you require?"  
  
"I need an object that has a trace of her power..."  
  
"Trace of her power?" Inuyasha glanced down to the rosary beads in his hands, not wanting to part with one of the two things that he had of Kagome, yet desperate to have her safe and sound in his arms again since it was his fault she was gone.  
  
Gripping the rosary beads tighter until he was afraid they would break, he attempted to think through the numbness that filled him, the pain in his cheek, and finally... the guilt.  
  
It didn't work... he didn't have the energy to fight all of it...  
  
Holding out the hand that held the rosary beads, Inuyasha opened it, allowing Kikyo to take the necklace, and as soon as she took them, he felt something snap... an unimaginable emptiness filled him, squeezing the air out from his lungs.  
  
Watching as Kikyo's demons surrounded her, lifting her into the sky, he felt like some part of him was leaving with her... but that was silly... all she was taking were the stupid rosary beads... hadn't he always wanted to be rid of them?  
  
It became difficult to swallow again, his breath freezing in his chest, and he realized Kikyo was studying him, her dead eyes gleaming with something he didn't recognize.  
  
"Inuyasha... you aren't sad about me taking these beads are you?" She asked him softly, her eyebrow arching gracefully, but she was replaced by an image of Kagome in his mind, her laughing brown eyes, warm smile, and soothing voice...  
  
"Kagome..." The dog demon whispered, his ears drooping with grief, and Kikyo snorted, her features turning cold as she sneered, floating off.  
  
Staring off after her fading form, Inuyasha wondered how he could have ever thought Kagome was Kikyo... they were like night and day, cold and hot... life and death.  
  
A stinging in his cheek brought him back to reality, the memory of what he had just saw quickly springing up, and his features tightened as he reviewed the memory, thinking, 'There's only one thing that makes a sound that I had heard...'  
  
The soft thump of flesh meeting flesh filled his ears, followed by Kagome's cries of pain, and he shook his head, telling himself he could have been imagining it all... lifting a hand to his cheek, he added, 'I hope I imagined it...'  
  
Instinctively tightening his hand, he growled when he realized there was nothing there, and a panic filled his chest when he remembered he had given the rosary beads to Kikyo.  
  
Reaching up and grabbing the jewel shards that hung around his throat, he beat the panic into submission, taking deep breaths, and a deep misery settled over him as he thought, 'Now all I have to remember her is the jewel shards...'  
  
He took one step forward, intent upon getting back to Kaede's village, and he placed another foot in front of the first... his body felt like lead, his cheek hurt, and all he wanted to do was run...  
  
Run from the guilt...  
  
********* ********** ********* ********* ********* ********* ********* *********  
  
To those who reviewed: Thanks!  
  
Letz move on to the next chappie, eh?  
  
Hugz N Kissez, Ali 


	9. Immortality

Immortality  
  
Screams and cries of pain filled the room, echoing endlessly in the dark mustiness; Kikyo watched with a small smile, reaching into her pocket and touching the rosary beads that lie there with triumph, thinking, 'Very soon...'  
  
The sounds abruptly stopped, leaving a silence that seemed deathly calm, and the dead miko stepped forward, her brow creased the slightest, studying the young girl that hung from the chains.  
  
The girl's hair, so much like Kikyo's, hung over her face, blocking it from the dead miko's view, but even the hair couldn't hide the rest of her body.  
  
A twinge of disgust flashed through Kikyo, quickly vanishing, as her gaze swept over the numerous bruises and gashes that littered the girl's abused body, the dim light in the room hiding most of the damage in its shadowy depths.  
  
Kikyo's gaze moved slowly from the girl to Naraku, who stood next to the unconscious figure, glaring at her with gleaming black eyes as he wiped a knife in his hand with some type of cloth, blood staining the white material to a dark pink.  
  
"It has been nearly a week since you retrieved the rosary beads Kikyo, yet the girl still holds strong... I fear her body shall give before her spirit does, even without the protection." He announced, placing the knife on a table where many other objects lay, their sharp edges flashing in the dim light, and Kikyo walked over to him, looking up into his dark black eyes without blinking, whispering, "I told you she cannot die or the power shall be lost."  
  
"Yes my love, I understand that... we must not allow her to die. Maybe..."  
  
"What do you think? We need to do something quickly, her time grows short."  
  
They studied the girl in silence, listening to her shallow breathing, watching as her life seeped away slowly, and Naraku smiled the slightest, acknowledging, "I have tried to gain access to her power many times, by merely touching her cheek... I believe I have weakened that point of her spirit to its breaking point."  
  
"You haven't much time to destroy the spirit, you must hurry than."  
  
"No, we are not going to let her slip off into death... that would be too kind of us, my love. Instead, we'll make her feel every bit of pain, every bit of suffering, until her spirit breaks."  
  
"But if her body gives out before her spirit, how are we to stop it?"  
  
Stepping forward until he was facing the unconscious figure, Naraku grabbed her hair, forcing her head back until her face was upturned toward him, and Kikyo noticed the marks of abuse upon her face: several long gashes ran down the left side of her face, dried blood encrusted on them, her lower lip swollen with numerous bruises covering it. Her eyes slid to the girl's right cheek, where a nasty looking gash was festering, its color a deep shade of red, and Kikyo noted that was the same cheek Inuyasha had grabbed at when he had the vision.  
  
Chuckling to himself, Naraku lifted his hand, stretching his fore finger outward as a deep black energy began to wrap around it, slowly shaping into three black snakes with smoky appearances, and his black eyes were on the girl in his hold when he whispered, "We'll make it impossible for her body to give out before her spirit."  
  
Touching his finger to her right cheek, he traced the gash that lie along her cheekbone, the smoky black snakes quickly slipping into the wound, turning the festering deep red gash into a smoldering black marking.  
  
Her screams filled the room, tears leaking from under her closed eyes, her body jerking against the chains that held her, yet still she remained unconscious.  
  
Watching with wide eyes, Kikyo noticed an unearthly light engulf the prisoner as the mark on her cheek turned a deathly black, the pain filled screams filling her ears.  
  
The last of the black smoke that had curled around Naraku's fingers vanished into the gash, and he stepped back from the thrashing girl, his black eyes shining with triumph as he whispered, "My demons, that now lie enclosed in her power, shall insure immortality for this frail human... until she loses her power."  
  
--------- --------- ---------  
  
Pain...  
  
It filled every fiber of her body...  
  
Indescribable, incomprehensible, undeniable...  
  
She hurt.  
  
Groaning, Kagome lifted her head, feeling the stiffness in her neck, and with another groan of pain, she forced her legs to straighten and support her weight.  
  
The room she was in was quickly becoming familiar to wake up to, the damp musty smell that she was breathing in becoming something she would always dread for the rest of her life...  
  
Not that she would survive this place.  
  
Her gaze landed on the table that held all of Naraku's tools of torture, nearly three feet away from her, but even just seeing the items brought back the memories of what Naraku had been doing to her as she heaved dryly, her stomach rebelling against her at the memories.  
  
Sweat beaded her body, dirt seemed to cover every inch of her, and she felt sticky with her own blood, but she ignored these facts, fighting the tears that slipped down her cheeks uncontrollably.  
  
Wondering how long it had been since Naraku's last torture session, Kagome licked her dry lips, wincing when her tongue hit a wound, and it started to bleed anew, the metallic taste she loathed filling her mouth.  
  
It had been forever since she had seen the sun...  
  
Taken a breath of fresh air...  
  
Eaten a morsel of food...  
  
Sobs stuck in her throat, shaking her bodily violently as she held them in, unwilling to let her misery show.  
  
Everything was a mess, everything she once believed, she no longer did, everything she had ever thought, was shattered, torn apart...  
  
Her innocence gone.  
  
Yet she didn't give in...  
  
She would never give in...  
  
She just couldn't give in...  
  
When she had been unconscious, nightmares had assailed her... where Naraku had gained her power, taken the world under his thumb... all because of her.  
  
'No,' She thought, lifting her chin and staring ahead of her into the dark shadows, her tear filled brown eyes flashing with determination, 'I will die before I let Naraku gain my power.'  
  
Still, what of this power?  
  
Why hadn't she known about it?  
  
It didn't make any sense at all...  
  
Except for the fact that she hurt.  
  
Badly.  
  
Looking down, Kagome saw her body in the dim light of the room, blood staining what was left of her clothes, bruises covering almost every inch of pale skin...  
  
Retching her eyes away from the sight of her body, she felt a tinge of desperation, the need to get out of this dark room and into sunlight...  
  
Suddenly she couldn't breath, it felt like Naraku was suffocating her again, she couldn't hear, not a sound, and the darkness seemed to swoop down upon her, throwing her into an ocean of nothingness.  
  
She fought out blindly, a panic rising inside of her so strong she was afraid it would swallow her up, but even as she fought, a sense of peace seemed to slip over her body, taunting her to accept it all...  
  
"NOOOOO!" Her own scream tore her from the blackness, throwing her back into the dark damp room that was her prison, and she stood there, her limbs shaking with fatigue, gasping for breath.  
  
Why? She asked herself, fighting against the chains that held her, relishing the pain that came from her wrists, but silence was her only answer, laughing at her misery with its quiet whispers.  
  
Why don't I just give in? Would it be that bad?  
  
Eyes darkening, Kagome stopped her struggling, her breath slowing, and she imagined giving into the darkness that taunted her...  
  
It would be so easy...  
  
Then something hit her...  
  
A memory, from long ago... when she was but a little girl, sitting on a rock with Souta...  
  
"Sis, why are you crying?" The younger Souta asked, cocking his head the slightest, his expression confused, and Kagome's younger self glanced up at him, wiping at the tears that rolled down her cheeks.  
  
"Well. someone broke their promise to me... it was a very important promise too..." She whispered, her brows furrowed on her young face, and Souta bit his lip, swinging his short legs in the air as he sat on the rock, looking out at the sky and asking, "What's a promise?"  
  
"A promise is something you tell someone you will do... and no matter what, you have to keep it... no matter what."  
  
"But, if you have to keep it... how do you break it?"  
  
"Only people who don't care enough break their promise Souta... here, how about we make a deal?"  
  
Souta turned from gazing into the sky, his childish face lighting up with a smile, showing a missing tooth, and he nodded, leaving Kagome to tap her chin in thought, finally replying, "Lets pinky swear right here... pinky swear that we will never ever break a promise to anyone, no matter what."  
  
Souta's eyes darkened the slightest, but he quickly grinned, nodding his head, twisting his body and wrapping his pinky around her own, adding, "No matter what."  
  
Pulled back into the world of pain, Kagome felt tears on her cheeks, and she wished she were back home with Souta and her family...  
  
But she couldn't get home.  
  
Lifting her chin from where it lay upon her chest, she realized that there was only one reason she was going through all this...  
  
She had promises to keep... many of them...  
  
Her will to fight came back within an instant, filling her body with a vigor she hadn't had for days, and she struggled against the chains, unaware of the eyes that were upon her.  
  
Naraku and Kikyo stood in the shadows, watching the prisoner as she fought against the chains, her cries of pain and frustration echoing the room.  
  
"It has been more than two weeks since you got the rosary beads... yet her spirit still thrives, resisting me every time I go for her power..." Naraku whispered, his eyes flashing angrily, and Kikyo nodded, studying the chained girl with narrow eyes, a cold smile coming to her face.  
  
"I think I shall have a little fun before I finish off the dear mutt..." She laughed, walking into the room where the struggling girl was, and Naraku followed, his eyes narrowed in contemplation.  
  
Ceasing her fight with the chains, Kagome turned towards them, tears trickling down her cheeks from the pain that racked her body.  
  
"Kik-Kikyo..." She croaked, her tear filled eyes narrowing in disgust, and her gaze slid from Kikyo to Naraku, her body tensing automatically, awaiting the means of abuse that were sure to come.  
  
"Kagome dear..." Kikyo whispered, her dead eyes examining the girl in front of her, and her wicked smile grew, "It is amazing how long you have lasted..."  
  
"Yeah... you sho-should... talk..."  
  
Knowing she was wasting precious energy, Kagome took a shuddering breath, wanting to hurt the dead miko, if not physically then mentally.  
  
"Look gr-great... for...walkin... zo-zombie..."  
  
A growl of anger came from the dead miko, a flash of triumph from the chained prisoner, and a raised eyebrow from Naraku, but Kikyo smiled coldly, reaching into her pocket and drawing out an object.  
  
Holding her hand out before Kagome, she laughed, her dark eyes sparkling with evil, and asked, "Do you recognize these?"  
  
A heavy weight seemed to settle over Kagome as she stared at the rosary beads in Kikyo's hand, the dim light in the room lightly bouncing off the polished cover of the beads, and with a small moan, all of Kagome's memories bombarded her, Inuyasha's angry expression, his flashing amber eyes...  
  
"Your dear mutt had possession of these... that is the only reason your spirit didn't break before. Now though, you have no protection..." The dead miko whispered, her eyebrows rising the slightest, and her teeth flashed in a cold smile when she added, "Now all that must be done is rid myself of that useless hanyou..."  
  
"Don't you dare lay a damn hand on Inuyasha! Or I'll..." Kagome shouted, a burst of energy flooding her body at the mention of harm to one of her friends, and unknown to her, blue flames engulfed her body with a roar, illuminating the many injuries that covered it.  
  
Watching her with wide eyes, both Kikyo and Naraku stepped back from the blue flames that danced around the chained prisoner, their expressions a mix between shock and awe.  
  
Staring at both of them with a guarded expression, Kagome shuffled through her hazy mind, attempting to find a threat suitable for the dead miko, but her thoughts were lost when Kikyo laughed, retorting, "You'll what? It seems that you are quite unable to do a thing dear Kagome... of course, before you removed these rosary beads you might have been able to save him... but now, he's mine... once again, as it was before you stole him from me."  
  
"He still loves you! What do you mean I stole him... how could I steal him when you still have him?"  
  
"Not true... when my dear sister put this necklace on that mutt, and you said the word sit, you created a connection between him and yourself... that connection enabled many things to happen..."  
  
Glaring at Kikyo, Kagome shifted restlessly, the pain throbbing from all over her being the constant reminder of what she was being put through...  
  
'Just to get the power they say I have.'  
  
When the silence was stretched to the breaking point, the chained miko finally snorted, "What? Expect me to say something?"  
  
"Humph... of course not, you must be in a considerable amount of pain... .. back to what I was saying before, this connection between Inuyasha and yourself awoke a power deep within you... one you couldn't handle by yourself... thus it remained hidden until you created the connection. The connection worked in both of your favors... this power inside of you protected you when you required it, but also gave Inuyasha strength when he required it."  
  
"Protected me?"  
  
"Yes, indeed... when you first found the Tetsusiaga, did Inuyasha's brother not attempt to kill you with his poisonous claws?"  
  
"But the Tetsusiaga."  
  
"Oh, you silly prattled girl... the Tetsusiaga can only be used by demons... it is your own power that saved you."  
  
"B-but."  
  
"It is quite ingenious actually... the rosary beads granted you protection and Inuyasha power... only you could break that connection, so your power was safe...until now. It is time for you to relinquish your power over to Naraku so he may become a full fledged demon."  
  
"A full fledged demon?"  
  
"Yes, for he is only half demon now... with your power he shall become a true demon, and I must be going... but not before I tell you the rest of my wicked scheme..."  
  
Turning and gracefully walking away, Kikyo left the room, not noticing that Naraku hadn't followed, but instead he was watching his captive with interest.  
  
Kagome took little notice of the attention she had gained though, her own thoughts instead on an entirely different matter, 'Kikyo says the connection is broken... and it is true, the rosary beads connection is gone... but yet something is still there... his protection is like a cloak that cannot be cast aside...'  
  
Clenching her teeth, she took a deep breath, closing her eyes against the pounding in her head that was quickly overtaking the rest of the pain in her body, and she reached deep inside of her, feeling for something...  
  
Anything...  
  
'There!'  
  
She felt it, a connection deeper than anything the rosary beads ever had created...  
  
Yet the connection wasn't complete.  
  
Kagome's eyes shot open as she realized this, their brown depths shining with a flare of light, but why wasn't it complete? What was this connection?  
  
'You know what it is...' A little voice inside of her whispered, sending chills down her back, but she ignored the chills, closing her eyes and feeling the connection, 'You created this connection out of your love for Inuyasha... the only way to complete it is for him to acknowledge it.'  
  
His image popped up in her mind, the only thing that had kept her going for so long, but her jumbled thoughts were interrupted by Kikyo as she entered the room, followed by a shorter figure, and when Kagome opened her eyes, she gasped, recognizing the figure instantly, crying, "Kohaku!"  
  
It was no other than Sango's little brother, his eyes blank, face emotionless, and Kagome felt her stomach tie into a knot when Kikyo wrapped an arm around the young boy's shoulders, her eyes gleaming wickedly through their dead haze.  
  
"Naraku has been so kind as to let me borrow this young lad to complete my revenge... he shall help me restrain your dear friends while I slowly kill Inuyasha, but not before I tell him what shall happen to you. He failed to protect me... and now you." Kikyo whispered, her cold smile doing nothing to quail Kagome's fear, and with that last jab, the dead miko left, handing the rosary beads to Naraku with a knowing look.  
  
When both the dead miko and Kohaku were gone, Kagome shuddered involuntarily, knowing that Naraku would stop at nothing to get the power she held.  
  
'I have to complete the connection...' She told herself, squelching the panic that exploded to life as Naraku walked over to the table where his torture toys lay, but any brilliant plans floated right beyond her grasp.  
  
Tears shimmered in her eyes, blurring her vision just as Naraku started walked in front of her, and lifting her head, she stared up at him through the tears, her lower lip trembling from the emotions that were swirling inside her.  
  
The blue flames that surrounded her body trickled down until there was nothing left at all, but Kagome didn't notice, her mind still focused on helping her friends...  
  
Then, the first scream was torn from her lips...  
  
********* ********** ********* ********* ********* ********* ********* *********  
  
To those who reviewed: Thanks!  
  
~Lily123, Jammies2000, Lady Mayhem, Pau lahi lahi, Three-Letter-Word, Mattielover, Tiger of the Wind, Shadow Wraith, N Hanyou Queen~  
  
Letz move on to the next chappie, eh?  
  
Hugz N Kissez, Ali 


	10. Betrayal

Betrayal  
  
They had arrived at Kaede's village early that morning, not a soul had been stirring, and Sango, Miroku, and Shippo had quickly gone to Kaede's hut, hoping for some rest and food, having not taken a decent break since they had started back nearly a week ago.  
  
Though he was tired and hungry, Inuyasha didn't follow them, instead going to the Bone Eater's well, hoping beyond hope that on the other side he would find Kagome.  
  
Standing on the edge of the well, he stared down into the blackened depths, memories of the girl who had brightened his life so much popping up like sprouts.  
  
"Kagome..." He whispered, stepping off the edge and falling into the well, not expecting to slam into the bottom.  
  
Sitting there, he thought in horror what that had to mean...  
  
That Kagome was not on the other side.  
  
Everything seemed wrong to him, absolutely everything.  
  
He shouldn't be sitting here on the bottom of the well right now...  
  
No, he should be up above, arguing with Kagome whether or not she should be going back to do those stupid tests or whatever reason she wanted to go back.  
  
She should be shouting 'sit' and sending him face first into the ground...  
  
But she wasn't.  
  
Walking back to the village in a daze, Inuyasha didn't even notice he had spent nearly half the day at the well, and when he entered Kaede's hut, he was surprised to see everyone sitting around, like they were waiting for him to show up.  
  
It almost seemed normal...  
  
Except for the fact that there was no smiling girl to say hi, or give him a radiant smile, or even tell him to 'sit' for being so late.  
  
The mood in the room was heavy, even the groping priests hands seemed to be behaving lately in light of Kagome's disappearance.  
  
The demon exterminator had become even more quiet, her dark eyes haunted and elusive, while the young kitsune who always seemed ready to play was now moody, going off alone every once in a while.  
  
Kaede was the only one who looked up when Inuyasha entered, her one eye scanning him quickly before she whispered, "Tell thee what has happened."  
  
"Why don't you have one of them do it for you?" He grumbled, sitting down next to Shippo, and Kaede glared at him, replying, "Ye seem quite upset... and Kagome isn't with ye, where has thee girl gone?"  
  
"Look you old hag, Kagome was kidnapped... I was fighting a demon and she started using the restraining spell in the middle of the battle... then... then she..."  
  
Inuyasha swallowed, not able to complete his sentence, but Kaede stopped his mumbling, asking, "Where are ye rosary beads at?"  
  
"Kagome removed them. and then she ran off. she left behind the Shikon Jewel shards and said she couldn't help me find the rest..."  
  
"Kagome removed ye rosary beads? Ye must get them back!"  
  
"What? So you can just put them back on? I don't..."  
  
"Inuyasha, ye rosary beads were enchanted with more than a restraining spell... when Kagome came to thee village, ye knew something was different about thee girl. Unusual ye might call her... yes, but ye didn't know thee true potential..."  
  
"True potential? What..."  
  
"Where are thee rosary beads? Ye must not lose them or Kagome may be in serious trouble..."  
  
Staring at her, Inuyasha let that information soak in, his golden eyes wide on his pale face, and suddenly he growled, whispering, "Kikyo, damn that wench, she knew!"  
  
"What?" Sango asked, deciding it was about time she started participating in the discussion, but she was struck speechless when Inuyasha replied, "I gave the rosary beads to Kikyo."  
  
Silence covered them like a wool blanket, the tension so thick you could cut it with a knife, the breath hitched in each of their chests except for Inuyasha who was silently growling at his stupidity, but other than his twitching ears, the room was deadly quiet in shock...  
  
Until the quiet was shattered by a pissed demon exterminator as she shouted, "PERVERT!"  
  
Whack...  
  
Thud...  
  
"Owie..."  
  
Silence once again hung in the room, but instead of sitting calmly next to Sango with an impassive face, Miroku was sprawled out on the floor, a large bump forming on his head.  
  
"I think the stress was too much for Miroku..." Shippo noted wisely, shaking his head with a sigh, but Inuyasha interrupted the semi-normal scene.  
  
Standing up with an angry growl, he turned to the door, his golden eyes sparking with his anger, shouting over his shoulder, "I am going to find Kikyo, she knows where Kagome is, I know it. That stupid bi..."  
  
The door flung open before Inuyasha could reach it, and in the doorway stood the dead miko he had just been speaking of.  
  
Letting go of the arrow she had latched, Kikyo watched with narrowed eyes as it flew through the air, catching Inuyasha in the chest and sending him backwards through the hut wall, slamming into a tree that was outside.  
  
Gasping, he stared at Kikyo through the hole in the wall; his fangs bared against the pain in his chest, and miles away, Kagome screamed, feeling a sharp pain in her chest where the arrow was buried inside Inuyasha.  
  
Pausing in his beating of her, Naraku studied her, his black eyes narrowed in contemplation, but she paid no attention to him, instead focusing on the pain that was coming from her chest through the half complete connection.  
  
'Kikyo, I told you not to lay a damn hand on Inuyasha...' She whispered to herself, the blackness that had threatened to swallow her disappearing quickly.  
  
Coming up with a plan, she turned to Naraku who stood not five inches from her, and leaning forward, she laid her forehead on his, a deep blue surrounding both of their bodies.  
  
'Kohaku...'  
  
Back at Kaede's hut, Sango, Shippo, Kaede, Kirara, and Miroku stood up, watching as Kikyo walked out of the hole in the hut, her dead eyes focused on the hanyou pinned to the tree.  
  
Fighting against the arrow that held him, he growled with anger when a light blue surrounded it, stopping him from taking it from his chest, and the dead miko merely smiled, whispering, "It seems like you needn't not find me Inuyasha, since I found you."  
  
"Inuyasha!" Shippo shouted, racing forward, but he stopped when a figure appeared in front of him.  
  
Lifting his gaze, he realized the figure was Sango's brother, and from the gasp that came behind him, Sango must have noticed too.  
  
"Kohaku!" Sango cried, racing forward, but froze when her brother raised his weapon, his eyes blank and dark.  
  
Laughter came from the dead miko's lips when she turned from Inuyasha, seeing that everyone else had also come from the gap in the hut, all of them standing outside in the beautiful sunshine.  
  
"I see you have met my assistant." Kikyo whispered, a mocking smile coming to her lips, and she turned back to Inuyasha as he shouted, "You betrayed me!"  
  
"Ah, Inuyasha, you wonder why?" Kikyo's eyes flashed with anger, and she raised an eyebrow, adding, "Fifty years ago, you proclaimed love for me... I proclaimed love for you... Naraku easily destroyed that love. Until I found out about his scheme, I thought it had been your betrayal."  
  
"You know it wasn't though!"  
  
"Yes, I know it wasn't... yet, my eyes had been opened, and I realized I did not love you... the pity I felt for Onigumo was still strong, but it had changed to hatred for Naraku."  
  
Anger exploded in every nerve of his body, his vision tinged with red, but on top of it came a sense of relief.  
  
He didn't have to love her anymore; all he had to do was protect her...  
  
But wait, if she loved Naraku... she loved Naraku over him!  
  
The anger exploded out in words, his golden eyes flashing, "So why do you love him now you bitch?"  
  
"Tut tut Inuyasha... I went for a visit after I learned of what happened... he explained to me that power was love... I didn't believe him at first... but as soon as I soon saw that he was correct... and I made an offer..."  
  
So without ado, she told them how she had offered to Naraku to work with him, continuing with how they had to break the connection of the rosary beads to get to Kagome's spirit, and how in order to do all that Kagome had to remove the rosary beads willingly.  
  
"I knew the only way she'd do that is if she became the source of your pain Inuyasha. Controlling her with a jewel shard, Naraku forced her to harm you, planting the idea in her head that he could control her anytime she wanted... of course, thanks to her power, she broke Naraku's hold, but he had done his job."  
  
"He was forcing her to restrain me?"  
  
"Oh yes, though she fought him... and you, the stupid hanyou you are, thought she was doing it. You made our job so much easier..."  
  
With a laugh, she continued telling him how she had met up with Kagome after she had run off, and then Kagome had run into Naraku, who had knocked her out and taken her to his castle.  
  
Holding out her hand, she showed him her empty hands, and Inuyasha felt a hand squeeze his heart as she continued, "There was a grave error though... that bitch dropped the rosary beads, and you once again got a hold of them. That was why the first five days Naraku beat her senseless, yet when he tried to take her power, she was protected... thus my role came in, and I took the rosary beads from you. Now with Naraku... so there is no possible way to save her."  
  
"You bitch..."  
  
"You're so gullible mutt... ever since that moment Naraku has slowly been breaking her spirit, and soon enough he shall have her power. I shall do away with you, and together Naraku and I shall complete the Shikon Jewel. The power he receives from Kagome shall turn him into a full demon, and with the Shikon Jewel he shall wish for my life."  
  
"Bitch... I need Kagome, you don't!"  
  
"Inuyasha, that's the glory of it... you don't need a pathetic miko to help you find the Shikon Jewel shards do you? And you would do absolutely anything to get the rosary beads off..."  
  
A wicked grin came to Kikyo's face, her eyes shining with evil, and Inuyasha's eyes widened, realizing she was repeating the words he had said before Kagome had been kidnapped, she added, "I have simply helped you along..."  
  
"But..."  
  
"All of you never acknowledge her did you? No, she'd make your life so much better... and what do you do? Nothing, she's just there..."  
  
Everyone stared at Kikyo, their eyes wide, mouths open to retort, but it was impossible... what Kikyo said was true...  
  
"Especially you Inuyasha... have you noticed how much you have missed her these last weeks? You had taken everything she did for granted... everything. I know how it feels, to not be important... I am shocked she still lives, for what has she to live for? You despise her, treat her like she's lower than dirt..." She whispered, her eyes darkening, and Inuyasha growled, "That's not true..."  
  
"Yes it is... tell me one thing you did not take for granted. Did you thank her for the ramen she made? No, now you shall never have any again. How about her laughter, her innocence, her love? Didn't all of you just think it came with her?"  
  
Out of breath, Kikyo went quiet, her cheeks flushed the slightest, but the cold smile on her lips told them she was enjoying tormenting them.  
  
Running to Sango, Shippo huddled in her arms, wailing, tears running down his cheeks as he shouted, "Your evil! Give back Kagome!"  
  
"No... you'll never get her back. I'll never allow my reincarnation to win over me. None of you shall ever be able to take anything for granted again..."  
  
After those words, a heavy silence settled upon the group, and Inuyasha looked down at the arrow that held him to the tree, his eyes wide, the golden depths darkening as he thought, 'Kagome...'  
  
At this exact time Kagome finally broke through the barrier to Kohaku, whispering, 'Kohaku, listen to me...'  
  
********* ********** ********* ********* ********* ********* ********* *********  
  
To those who reviewed: Thanks!  
  
Letz move on to the next chappie, eh?  
  
Hugz N Kissez, Ali 


	11. Promises

Promises  
  
Silence set eerily over the group, and Kagome broke through the barrier to Kohaku, whispering, 'Kohaku, listen to me...'  
  
The stiff figure that guarded Sango, Miroku, Kirara, Kaede, and Shippo didn't move a muscle, but a small voice replied, 'Who are you? What do you want?'  
  
She could hear the uncertainty in his voice, the fear of being forced to do something he didn't want to do... again.  
  
Her hatred for Naraku grew, nearly breaking her control, but she forced herself to stay calm.  
  
'I want to help you... but I need your help to do that...' She told him, a deep blue starting to wrap around Kohaku's young body, and the boy replied, 'Yes, how can I help?'  
  
'Do you feel the pain in your back?'  
  
'Yes.'  
  
'Fight it, I will help you... do it, now!'  
  
The deep blue surrounding Kohaku's body began to swirl, creating flames, but no one around him paid attention, their focus on Kikyo as turned to Inuyasha with a cold smile, announcing, "It seems it is finally time Inuyasha... too bad you couldn't save your love again, but as they say... all is fair in love and war. Good-bye."  
  
Anger doused Kagome, threatening to break her control as Naraku used her emotions to regain some of his control, and they played a small game of tug- o-war over Kohaku's body.  
  
'Kohaku, fight him! We can do this!' She shouted, feeling Kohaku's presence next to her, and Naraku was violently shoved back, she could hear his curses in some numb part of her mind.  
  
Her attention quickly snapped back to Kikyo, watching her walk towards Inuyasha who was bound to a tree by an arrow...  
  
So like the first time they met, Kagome realized, her heart skipping a couple beats.  
  
A drop of sweat rolled down Inuyasha's cheek, his golden eyes darkening with anger and misery, his thoughts on Kagome...  
  
How he failed her...  
  
He watched Kikyo as she extended her hand, a light blue haze surrounding it, slowly walking towards him with purposeful steps, and with a sick lurch in his midsection, he realized she was smiling...  
  
Truly smiling.  
  
'God Kikyo...' He thought, not wanting to believe this was actually happening, but how could he deny it?  
  
His thoughts once again switched back to Kagome as Kikyo took the last step...  
  
"Stop."  
  
The deadly command froze Kikyo in her tracks, and she turned until she spotted Kohaku's flame engulfed body, her brows furrowing as she whispered, "Kohaku, what are you doing?"  
  
"I told you not to lay a damn hand on him Kikyo..." The young boy growled, taking a step forward as the dark blue flames roared, reaching higher into the sky.  
  
Everyone other than Kikyo and Kohaku stood there, utterly lost, unable to comprehend what was going on, but Kikyo had already caught on, her eyes widening when she realized whom it really was, crying, "You bitch! How did you..."  
  
"Naraku has control of Kohaku... all I had to do was tap into his mind to gain that control. Kill two birds with one stone Kikyo... I'll rid of you and save Kohaku. Now I say it is high time you left my friends alone..." Kohaku whispered, his closed eyes opening to reveal anger filled eyes, and he took a step forward, grabbing Kikyo's arm as Kagome summoned her strength.  
  
A scream came from Kikyo when Kohaku touched her, even before Kagome managed to shove her power through his body, and Kikyo jerked, her eyes wide from the pain as she lifted an arm, slapping Kohaku soundly.  
  
He fell to the ground, stunned, and Kagome felt shock wash through each of their bodies. the pain inside Kohaku was transferred to her through the connection with him, for which she was thankful.  
  
Her attention went to Miroku and Sango as they stepped forward, intent on punishing Kikyo.  
  
"No! Stay where you are." Kagome whispered from Kohaku's body while Kikyo stared at her arm where black marks in the shape of a hand now lay.  
  
The exact spot Kohaku had touched her, Kikyo realized with a snarl, and she stepped forward, shouting, "You... you bitch! You're still pure!?! What the hell, after all that? I..."  
  
Her face was a mottled red, nose scrunched, but Kohaku ignored her, calmly standing up with a smooth agility, turning to her with a small smile and whispering, "Good-bye Kikyo..."  
  
The blue flames that surrounded his body blasted towards her, swallowing her body as her scream reached their ears.  
  
The blast of power lifted into the sky, racing over the forest and landing with an explosion far away, Kikyo's scream still echoing in the air, sending chills down Kagome's back.  
  
God, she had just killed someone...  
  
She couldn't wait to deal the same fate to herself...  
  
But no, she had to concentrate.  
  
With a jolt, she realized everyone was staring at her, or to say Kohaku, but she merely had Kohaku stay facing the direction Kikyo had disappeared, staring off into the distance.  
  
"I haven't much time, for even now Naraku is fighting my invasion..." Kohaku whispered, closing his eyes with a sigh, and Shippo stepped forward tentatively, his eyes swimming with tears as he cried, "Ka-Kagome... is that you?"  
  
"Yes Shippo dear..." Kohaku whispered, turning around towards the voice, the weapon in his hand that hadn't done a thing dropping to the ground with a soft thud, and Shippo ran towards him, bounding into his arms while crying, "I've missed you so much Kagome! Don't ever leave again!"  
  
That hurt...  
  
It was exactly what she planned on doing, but this time, she didn't plan on ever coming back.  
  
A tear slipped down Kohaku's cheek, followed by another as Kagome fought for her voice, praying for strength she knew she had to have.  
  
There were only a couple things left she had to do, and first thing first: she had to make sure everything would be all right after she was gone...  
  
"Oh Shippo... I'm so sorry, I have to go again soon, but promise me something. promise me you'll take care of everyone, no matter what happens. promise me that."  
  
"O-okay... I... I'll make sure... I-I promise..."  
  
"I love you Shippo, be a good boy..."  
  
It sounded strange to hear Kohaku saying these words to Shippo, to watch the tears roll down his youthful face, to see the anguish in his eyes, yet there seemed to be the slightest undercurrent of Kagome underneath...  
  
"Miroku..." Kohaku's choked whisper broke through the silence that had settled upon them, and Miroku nodded, walking forward until he stood right in front of the shorter boy.  
  
"I... I hope you have good luck in finding your love, but don't look too far... I shall miss you greatly... if not your hands..."  
  
A strangled laugh came from Kohaku's lips, his arms tightening around Shippo the slightest, and he continued, "Sango..."  
  
"Yes Kagome?" She whispered, stepping next to Miroku with an emotionless face, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears as Kohaku whispered, "Your brother... is fine, I healed him. He's right here, helping me... take care of him, he's too good to let go."  
  
"Oh..."  
  
With a shuddering sigh, Sango nodded, a heavy weight lifted from her shoulders now that her brother would be safe and sound next to her side, but Kagome wasn't done, Kohaku's brows furrowing the slightest when he added, "I... I made a promise to myself, but... but I just can't keep it..."  
  
Eyes widening the slightest, Sango stayed remained silent, prompting Kagome to continue, and Kohaku took a deep breath, holding Shippo towards Sango, finishing with a painfully neutral voice, "I promised... that I would find a fa-family for Shippo... would take care of him and... a-and love him as I know you will Kohaku? P-please?"  
  
Kagome felt like she was going to die from the inside out, every goal she had ever had in life was now crumbling around her, tucked away to last forever while she went off with the wind...  
  
And the only fault was her own.  
  
She drug them all into this and she'd get them out, no matter what.  
  
"Yes, of course Kagome..." The demon exterminator cried, taking Shippo into her arms, the tears that were once shimmering in her eyes now slipping down her cheeks silently.  
  
Turning, Kagome searched for the courage within herself, feeling Inuyasha's eyes upon her, and she moved Kohaku's body until he stood in front of the dog demon.  
  
She thought she'd never see his face again...  
  
Yet here she was, just like the first time they met...  
  
It hurt like hell.  
  
Knowing beyond a doubt that this would be the last time ever...  
  
The dark blue swirled faster when Kohaku reached up, grasping the arrow in his small hand, and the arrow turned to dust instantly, freeing Inuyasha from the tree he was bound to.  
  
This was going to be so hard...  
  
All she wanted was to die, be rid of the pain...  
  
But how could she do that when she had a promise to keep?  
  
That's what kept her going, forcing her to go through with this...  
  
"Inu... Inuyasha..." Kohaku whispered as Kagome studied Inuyasha's features with misery, and Inuyasha attempted to see Kagome within Kohaku, "I-I have... one last thing to do... but in order to do that... I need our connection..."  
  
Feeling the rough bark poking into his back, Inuyasha felt a tugging deep inside of him, but he ignored it, concentrating on what Kohaku was whispering, "Since... since the rosary beads are here with me... that won't work... but look deep inside of yourself..."  
  
Screaming, Kohaku froze, and back at Naraku's castle Kagome jerked, Naraku's hands lifting upwards and grabbing her shoulders painfully.  
  
'Not yet! I am not done yet!' Kagome screamed, fighting him, and she turned her attention back to the young boy's body she was in, whispering, 'Kohaku... I need you to help me again, hold him off, please. I just need a few seconds more, and then you can return to your sister... and promise me, you won't let anything happen to her! Watch over her...'  
  
His presence seemed to expand inside of her, stopping Naraku from shredding her apart, and she added, 'You are a very brave young man Kohaku... and remember, none of this was your fault... it was all Naraku...'  
  
Another stab of pain hit her, and Kohaku cried out once more, clenching some of Inuyasha's outfit in his hand, his face twisted as Kagome finally forced Naraku into submission.  
  
Sucking in a deep breath, Kohaku's eyes opened as Sango, Miroku, Shippo, Kaede, and Inuyasha watched him, their eyes narrowed in worry, but they all relaxed once again when Kohaku started speaking, "I promise, to all of you, I shall make Naraku pay for all he's done to each of you... he shall pay..."  
  
"Kagome..." Inuyasha whispered, grabbing Kohaku's shoulders and forcing him to look into his eyes, and what he saw in Kohaku's eyes scared him...  
  
The look in his eyes...  
  
It tore into him like a knife...  
  
Suddenly it was all of Kagome there.  
  
Not Kohaku's dirty body, muscles that were just starting to form, but Kagome's lovely body, warm smile, and her scent surrounded him...  
  
Only her scent could make everything perfect...  
  
She reached up a hand, brushing it against his cheek...  
  
It was her whisper when Kohaku said, "Please, just look inside..."  
  
With those lasts words Kohaku slipped into unconsciousness, falling limp against a shocked Inuyasha, and the dark blue flames that had surrounded his body disappeared as Sango rushed forward with a gasp.  
  
'Kagome...' Inuyasha thought, her words about looking inside of himself popping up in his head, and he took a deep breath, reaching deep inside of himself where that tugging had been earlier.  
  
Instantly he felt pain wash in on him, causing his knees to buckle as he fell to the ground on his knees, the connection between Kagome and himself complete.  
  
'Oh god, this pain!'  
  
It was beyond bearable, all over his body, every single nerve affected by it.  
  
And to think, Kagome had been suffering this...  
  
"Kagome!" He shouted, startling everyone around him, but miles away at Naraku's castle, Kagome felt the connection complete, just as Naraku slapped her, sending her senses reeling.  
  
'Inuyasha...' She thought, feeling power build within her, and she knew what she had to do.  
  
Getting to her feet slowly, she came face to face with a furious Naraku, his black eyes so narrow they looked like slits, and with a small smile, she realized she wasn't at this monster's mercy any longer.  
  
She was free!  
  
She couldn't believe it, after being imprisoned so long, she was finally free!  
  
Only one thing left to do before she could take that freedom in her hand...  
  
One last thing!  
  
Laughing softly, she stared into Naraku's cold eyes as he lifted a finger, touching it to her cheek once again, announcing, "You cannot fight me, you are at the brink of death..."  
  
The searing pain exploded in her cheek again, and with a scream, Kagome felt tears fill her eyes, unbearable pain filling her body.  
  
Vaguely realizing Inuyasha was screaming also from the pain that was tearing her apart, she silently apologized to him for putting him through this pain, and glared at a confused Naraku through tear filled eyes.  
  
God, how she hated the bastard...  
  
He ruined so many lives...  
  
Damn him, he shouldn't be allowed to live.  
  
'I won't let him live...' She told herself, an anger sprouting to life deep inside of her, and a warm tingling sensation washed over her body. 'Get ready Naraku...'  
  
Eyes widening, Naraku stared at Kagome as dark blue flames exploded from her body, swallowing both of them up.  
  
"It is the end for you Naraku..." She whispered, feeling power wash through her body like a wave, and with a grunt, she broke free of the chains that had been her source of imprisonment for over three weeks.  
  
********* ********** ********* ********* ********* ********* ********* ********  
  
To those who reviewed: Thanks!  
  
~Jammies2000, Unholy-angle, Three-Letter-Word, Pua lahi lahi, Lady Mayhem, Hanyou Queen, Glory230, Lilly123, Kokoro, Morlana, Chloe, Lutra, SailorKagome, Shadow Wraith, N Tiger of the Wind~  
  
Letz move on to the next chappie, eh?  
  
Hugz N Kissez, Ali 


	12. Revenge

Revenge  
  
"It is the end for you Naraku..." Kagome whispered, breaking free of the chains that had held her for nearly three weeks with a grunt.  
  
Laying a hand on either side of Naraku's face, Kagome felt his cold skin beneath her chilled fingertips, the clamminess of it gross, but she ignored it, her attention elsewhere.  
  
Blackness hovered over her like a bird, intent upon swooping in on her and taking the kill, but she fought it, concentrating on gathering all her power together as she whispered, "I will make you pay for all the pain you put my friends through..."  
  
Dark blue flames swallowed up her body, sending a tingling sensation throughout it, and she stared into Naraku's evil black eyes as she shouted, "This is for Kohaku and all the pain you ever caused him... everything you ever made him do!"  
  
A blast of power exploded from inside her, tearing at her skin and slamming into the stunned Naraku, the castle around them shaking and crumbling around them.  
  
Gasping at the fresh wave of pain, on top of her already bruised and torn body, Kagome heard Inuyasha's voice in her head, telling her not to do this, to stop it, and she tried to block him out, not wanting any distractions.  
  
She'd only have one chance to do this, for if she messed up... it could be devastating.  
  
Back at Kaede's village, everyone stood gathered around a dazed Inuyasha, except for Sango as she kneeled next to an unconscious Kohaku.  
  
"What is happening Inuyasha?" Kaede asked, her brows furrowed in confusion, and the dog demon turned to her, his eyes wide and a deep amber with no pupils visible, "He is seeing a vision..."  
  
A scream was torn from his lips, startling everyone, and he fell to his knees, listening and watching what was happening at Naraku's castle through the connection he had with Kagome.  
  
'Kagome, don't do this!'  
  
He kept shouting inside his head, unknown to him that Kagome could hear him...  
  
But to him it seemed there was nothing he could do, leaving him to watch in agony.  
  
The castle lie in ruins about her and Naraku's standing forms, deep blue flames swirling around them like a mini vortex, and Kagome...  
  
He barely recognized her.  
  
Tears burned his eyes as he studied her through the swirling blue flames, her complexion smudged with bruises ranging from black to green, her body covered with gashes, her lower lip cut, swollen and bleeding, her beautiful hair ragged and dirty, her clothes being ripped apart by the flames, whipping around her, but worst of all...  
  
The look in her eyes.  
  
The look he had seen in Kohaku's eyes when she had controlled him...  
  
He couldn't put a name to it before, but now he recognized it.  
  
The look of certain death...  
  
His gut twisted into a knot, nearly doubling him over with pain, but that pain was nothing compared to the pain he was filling through the connection.  
  
His concentration slid from the look in her eyes to a black scar on her cheek, the exact spot where Naraku had touched her so many times...  
  
That damn bastard had left a scar!  
  
He barely noticed when she opened her mouth once again, shouting, "This is for Miroku, for the curse he has had to live with, but shall have to no longer!"  
  
A stronger blast of power came from her body, doubling the scratches and gashes along her already bruised and abused skin, and the blast rammed into Naraku, continuing onwards in a circle, blowing the debris from the castle outwards.  
  
Opening his closed eyes, Miroku gazed out into the forest, a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach, and suddenly a wall of dark blue flames was there were he was looking, knocking over trees and any other objects in its path.  
  
"WATCH..." Miroku started shouting, stopping mid sentence when the wall of flames knocked into them, the force so great all of them toppled to the ground within the blink of an eye, and with a shake of his head, Inuyasha sat up after it passed, trying to figure out what happened as he shouted, "What the hell?"  
  
"It was a wall of blue flames..." Kaede whispered, sitting up with some effort, her eye narrowed in concentration, but Inuyasha was once again zoned out, going back to Kagome.  
  
Naraku's face swam in and out of focus in front of her, and Kagome blinked her eyes quickly, lightheaded from pain.  
  
"What... are you doing bitch? You will destroy... this..." Naraku spat, struggling get away from her hands that lie on either side of his face, but she didn't allow it, gathering her power once again and shouting, "This is for Sango! For killing her family, tricking her, and for all the pain you ever caused her!"  
  
The flames stretched into a ball around them, the wind inside it so strong it felt like the air was suctioned out of their lungs, and a blast of power blew outwards, flattening everything it went by farther into the ground, covering even more distance than the last time.  
  
Seeing this, Inuyasha shouted to the others, telling them to get down, and the powerful flames slashed past them, tearing up their clothes and pinning them to the ground in the process.  
  
Feeling Kagome's pain through the connection, Inuyasha sat up quickly, unable to breath because of the fear that was threatening to overwhelm him, shouting in his mind, 'Dammit Kagome, you're going to kill yourself!'  
  
Jerking inside the ball of dark blue flames, Kagome's eyes snapped open as she heard Inuyasha's voice in her head, two tears running down her cheeks as she stared outside the ball at the cloudless sky above, thinking to herself, 'He's right... and if the connection is complete when that happens... he will also be destroyed...'  
  
Lowering her gaze to land on the bloody Naraku in front of her, she felt a sense of pity for him, but it was quickly destroyed as she remembered all the pain he had put everyone through.  
  
'Inuyasha, the promise I made to myself was I would one day get revenge for all the pain Naraku caused to all of you... especially you...this is for you...good luck with the Shikon Jewel...' Kagome whispered to him through the connection, reaching for their connection deep within herself with her mind and snapping it, shouting to Naraku, "This is for Inuyasha!"  
  
The ball of flames exploded, reaching as high as the sky, swirling higher and higher, and Kagome screamed, the pain tearing through her body so intense she felt like she was being torn apart.  
  
Hearing another scream, Kagome realized it was Naraku, his body dissipating into dust, and she felt a stab of triumph, her promise was complete.  
  
She was quickly numbing, the pain becoming soothing, and she realized she wanted to die.  
  
She had killed two people, in cold blood...  
  
She just wanted it all to be over, and now it would be, at last...  
  
Through the haze of her pain consumed mind she noticed something shining at the spot where Naraku had once been, and she stretched a hand forward, wrapping her fingers around it, slowly bringing it in front of her to see what it was.  
  
'The Shikon Jewel shards...' She thought, a wave of misery washing over her, and tears slipped from her eyes as she remembered the single promise she'd never been able to keep...  
  
'Complete the Shikon Jewel...'  
  
A final blast of power exploded from her body, the blue flames that were shooting towards the stars exploding outward, washing over the earth with ferocity, and over where Inuyasha was standing in shock, feeling his connection with Kagome broken, he saw the blue flames just before another blast knocked him onto his back with a muffled gasp.  
  
A scream echoed throughout the area, and Inuyasha's ears twitched as he picked it up, his golden eyes lighting up with recognition.  
  
Scrambling to his feet, he looked to where he saw the dark blue flames before, watching as they slowly climbed lower until they disappeared, and he struggled to find the connection, needing something to reassure him that Kagome was alive...  
  
But there was nothing.  
  
"KAGOME!" He shouted, racing towards the place where the source of the blast had come from, his heart pounding so loud in his chest he thought he was going to die.  
  
Passing torn up trees, shredded bushes, destroyed villages, and more destruction that her power had created, he realized that Naraku would have been unstoppable if he had gotten a hold of it.  
  
Also, if the damage was this bad here, what had it been like in the center of the storm?  
  
Suddenly he came into a clearing where there were no trees, but instead a deep gorge, nearly fifty feet deep, quickly filling with water from a river that ran through it.  
  
It looked like it wasn't meant to be there, trees were half way out of the rising water, the whole area was charred black, but the biggest giveaway was the fine dark blue mist that was hanging over the area, slowly disappearing before his very eyes.  
  
Scanning the area, Inuyasha caught the slightest whiff of Kagome's scent, along with Naraku's, and he felt anger well inside of him as he stared out over the gorge, fists clenching at his sides.  
  
'She couldn't have died...' He told himself, ears drooping, golden eyes deepening in color, but he couldn't see her anywhere and there was no connection...  
  
Which could only mean one thing...  
  
"Kagome..." He whispered, falling to his knees next to the gorge, but his knee hit something...  
  
Glancing down, he saw the rosary beads, and a fresh wave of pain washed through him.  
  
It was those damn beads fault...  
  
If only they hadn't caused so much trouble, if only Kikyo hadn't betrayed him, if only he hadn't taken Kagome for granted...  
  
Picking them up gently, he clenched them in his hands, the pain inside of him beyond words...  
  
Except for one.  
  
"KAGOME!"  
  
The cry of pain from his heart echoed around, doing nothing to help except make the pain even worse, and he jerked when he felt a hand on her shoulder, spinning around and coming face to face with Sango.  
  
"Where is she?" The demon exterminator asked, her face impassive, and the hanyou looked away from her, not wanting to reply.  
  
"Those flames... they were the power Kikyo was talking about weren't they?" Miroku asked, standing next to Sango, and Inuyasha nodded, keeping his eyes hidden.  
  
Spotting the rosary beads in his hand, Sango pointed to them, shouting with new hope, "The rosary beads! You found them!"  
  
Suddenly it sank in...  
  
It couldn't be denied any longer...  
  
"She's dead." He whispered, raising his eyes to meet Miroku's and Sango, and he held out both his hands, the rosary beads lying clenched within them, and he whispered brokenly, "The connection... it's broken. The only way the connection could be broken is if she... if she is... is dead."  
  
"Kagome's dead!" Shippo cried from Kirara's back behind Inuyasha, and he swiveled around, not having noticed them before, "It can't be! She can't die! No!"  
  
The young kitsune dashed off before any of them could catch him, and Miroku turned to Inuyasha, asking, "Did Naraku get her power?"  
  
"I don't think so..." The dog demon replied, his eyes once again lowering, and Miroku questioned him again, "Then what happened?"  
  
"Kagome destroyed Naraku with her power... but in the process, her power destroyed her... I tried to stop her, but she said... she said she made a promise to herself... that she would get revenge for each of us because of what Naraku did..." Inuyasha whispered, closing his eyes tightly as he remembered each of the blasts of power, the words that came with it, and he added, "The first blast was for Kohaku, for when Naraku controlled him and made him kill everyone..."  
  
"Oh no..." Sango whispered, her eyes widening as her thoughts went back to her younger brother who she had left with Kaede, but her thoughts were pulled back when Inuyasha continued, "The second blast was for you Miroku... for the curse that Naraku had put you through... but you shall have no longer..."  
  
His voice cracked as he clenched his fists, and he realized it was getting harder to breath... that as he relived Kagome's last bit of life, he was accepting that she was no longer with them.  
  
Eyes widening, Miroku stepped back, unwrapping the prayer beads that were on his right hand, and steadied himself for the sucking of wind that always accompanied it....  
  
But nothing happened.  
  
Not daring to breath, he put his hand in front of his face, staring at the spot where the hole used to be, unable to believe it wasn't there anymore.  
  
Watching his antics, Sango let out a cry of joy, shouting, "Your wind tunnel! It's gone!"  
  
Turning to her with a smile, Miroku laughed, but instantly stopped when Inuyasha continued, his voice dead, "The third blast was for Sango... for all the pain Naraku had ever caused by destroying your family or anything else... by now Kagome was being torn apart from the inside, the power was so... so strong..."  
  
Raising his lowered head, he opened his closed eyes, their golden depths shimmering with tears as he finished, so softly Miroku and Sango had to lean forward, "The last blast. the one that killed both her and Naraku... was for me... and do you know what she said? She said good luck with the Shikon Jewel... that bitch said GOOD LUCK WITH THE SHIKON JEWEL!"  
  
Growling with anger to hide the pain he felt inside, he glared at Miroku and Sango, his teeth bared and claws ready.  
  
"Damn her... she got revenge for all of us... but what of her? She deserved to destroy that bastard for what he has done to her alone. .." He whispered angrily, his eyes flashing, and he looked towards the sky, endlessly blue and a shiny sun smiling down at him...  
  
Damn, he wanted to be rid of it all.  
  
Why?  
  
...  
  
Damn her...  
  
Had to keep her promises she said?  
  
What of her promise to him?  
  
What of her promise to complete the Shikon Jewel...  
  
"She didn't keep her promise to me... damn her, she didn't keep her promise to me!"  
  
Without a word he took off, leaving Sango and Miroku standing there, unable to believe what happened.  
  
He ran until he couldn't run anymore, past the destruction she had caused, past the bone eaters well that was damaged beyond repair, past everything he had ever known.  
  
It hurt...  
  
Hurt like hell, worse than anything he had ever felt before...  
  
God, it felt like everything inside of him was dying...  
  
Everything except his heart.  
  
It was tearing painfully inside his chest as the truth sunk in...  
  
It was painful...  
  
Too painful...  
  
Yet not painful enough.  
  
Cries of anguish clogged in his throat, cutting off his air, forcing him to halt on a tree branch, clinging to the tree with all he had.  
  
This had to be a nightmare...  
  
This just couldn't be happening, he wouldn't let it...  
  
Raising his face to the sun, he glared at it as one tear slipped down his cheek.  
  
Followed by another...  
  
And another.  
  
He was crying, he couldn't believe it...  
  
All because of a girl who had changed his life forever with her laughs and kindness...  
  
Her concern for his injuries, her sitting him when she was pissed, her tears because he didn't trust her...  
  
Hell, now he would never be able to tell her how much she meant to him, and with this misery tearing him apart, he focused on the sun once more, shouting all the pain, love, and anger he would never be able to share with her...  
  
"Damn you Kagome, YOU WEREN'T SUPPOSED TO DIE!!!"  
  
********* ********** ********* ********* ********* ********* ********* *********  
  
To those who reviewed: Thanks!  
  
~Kagomesjewel, SailorKagome, Three-Letter-Word, Jammies2000, Glory230, Kokoro, Mattielover, Carrie, Unholy-angle, Shadow Wraith, VioletRose, N Mimi-chan~  
  
Letz move on to the next chappie, eh?  
  
Hugz N Kissez, Ali 


	13. Moving On

Moving On  
  
Life went on in Feudal Japan, though it did take quite a long time for the hubbub to wind down.  
  
Villagers wondered what could have possibly caused such a light...  
  
Could it be a new demon intent upon destroying the world? If so, what had happened to it?  
  
The destruction caused by this demon was devastating, but surprisingly enough, there was not one death reported in the vicinity.  
  
Repairs to buildings began, the earth delved into its natural cycle of mending, and soon everything was back to normal for the people and demons of Feudal Japan.  
  
Years sped by, filled with life and death, happiness and grief, laughter and tears...  
  
--------- --------- ---------  
  
One more day had passed...  
  
Looking up from the rosary beads in his hands, Inuyasha stared out over the land from his perch on the tree, gazing at the setting sun. His golden eyes darkened with misery...  
  
So much time had passed, yet still a void existed within him... empty yet filled with pain...  
  
Just as it had been that day...  
  
If not worse.  
  
His ears flattened back against his head, the hands clenching the rosary beads tightening painfully, but his thoughts wouldn't let him go that easily.  
  
Sure, maybe physically she wasn't there anymore...  
  
Shaking his head roughly, he stopped that thought, knowing if he started, he wouldn't stop.  
  
His mind floated back to these last years, the worst years of his life...  
  
After that fateful day, he had wandered the land for months on end, not knowing to do with himself.  
  
What was the purpose of living?  
  
Did he deserve to live when she...  
  
A stab of pain tore through him, even thinking about her, and he once again switched his thoughts back to neutral ground.  
  
Finally he had returned to find the group at Kaede's village, now repaired, and things had changed drastically.  
  
While he was sure they missed her (he inwardly cringed), Miroku hadn't wasted precious time following the advice given to him by...  
  
A shaky sigh escaped Inuyasha's lips, trying to sooth the pain inside of him without giving into violence, and he braved the onslaught of pain as he continued with his thoughts.  
  
Kagome... god, even thinking her name hurt... had hinted at the monk's love, telling him not to look too far, and when he had arrived back at the village, Sango and Miroku had been happily married for six months.  
  
They had gotten married two months after Kag...  
  
After she had...  
  
A vicious snarl was ripped from his lips as he glared at the sunset, the last rays of light washing over the earth, and he felt anger wash over the misery he was feeling.  
  
He had wondered how they could do such a thing, it was as if they didn't even care that she... was gone.  
  
How dare they?  
  
While he had been out... doing nothing.  
  
The logic had quickly kicked in, a painful kick right in the gut, and he had left the village quickly, not staying even a day nor checking up on the rest of his group...  
  
He had fled and contemplated the situation.  
  
Realized that what they had done hadn't been wrong, instead it had been sensible...  
  
The lecherous monk had done what Inuyasha couldn't do. He had moved on and taken his life in the palm of his hand, making sure that there wasn't a moment of his life he regretted...  
  
Not that Miroku didn't think about Kag... her.  
  
That fact had been uprooted after the hanyou had returned some months later, nearly a year after that day...  
  
The damn monk had been asking him if he was okay.  
  
Even now he felt laughter bubble up inside of him, just as it had after the question.  
  
Okay?  
  
Was he okay?  
  
Damn no!  
  
He felt like shit...  
  
He missed her every damn second he lived, wondering why it had to be him to live, and not her!  
  
He wondered what it would have been like if he had been able to save her, or if he could have prevented it...  
  
There had to have been a way!  
  
There just had to been, damn it, and there Miroku was, married, happy as ever, with Shippo and Kohaku to watch over.  
  
Fuck, he didn't feel good, he felt miserable!  
  
He missed her so much...  
  
He had told the monk exactly how he felt with angry shouts, spending all his pent up emotions on that one question, and when he had run himself hoarse, Miroku had merely looked up with sad eyes and softly whispered, "Me too."  
  
That had torn through him like the arrow Kikyo had shot, painfully and without mercy, but the monk had said no more, simply stood up and walked away.  
  
During his stay at Kaede's village, Inuyasha had noticed he wasn't the only one who had been sucked into the hellhole of misery, but the kitsune, who he had found such an irritation before, was also drowning and unable to escape the murky depths.  
  
Exactly a year after... that day, everyone who had known the cheerful, optimistic girl stood around the crater in the earth where she had last stood, now teaming with plant life and small shrubs.  
  
That day seemed to be especially grave, not one thought of happiness existed to lighten the mood that had hung over them, and after nearly an hour of just standing by the crater, he couldn't stand it any longer.  
  
Guilt tore at him like steel teeth, shredding him apart from the inside out, misery was like poison in his blood, sucking the life from him, and he had to get away.  
  
Just had to.  
  
Even now Inuyasha remembered the bleakness of it, cold chills crawling up his spine.  
  
He had turned his back to the crater and started walking away with his head lowered, but a hand on his shoulder had stopped him, along with the whisper, "Inuyasha, will you talk to me?"  
  
Sango's voice had trembled, yet her hand on his shoulder had been reassuringly warm, and with a glance at her, he had nodded.  
  
She had led him away from the group a distance, her gaze troubled when she looked back at him.  
  
Stopping, she turned so she was face to face with him, giving him a perfect view of the tears in her eyes.  
  
"It wasn't your fault."  
  
The statement was serious, nothing of what he had expected, and he had stared at her for endless minutes before it clicked into place, shoving the misery to the back of his mind for a brief second.  
  
"Not my fault?"  
  
He remembered those three words had bounced around in his hazy mind for what seemed forever, that whisper slipping along with a strangled laugh as he stared at her with clouded gold eyes, the misery returning double fold, nearly causing him to collapse, but he had used it to his advantage to spur his words.  
  
"Not my fault?!? That's good Sango, I'll remember to repeat that to myself just to make sure I believe it... but it's hard to change truth isn't it? Damn it, how could it not be my fault?"  
  
"Inuyasha, it wasn't your fault! Kagome wouldn't want you tearing yourself apart like this! She sacrifice herself so you could live your life, not destroy it!"  
  
"Don't. don't! You are wrong, I don't deserve to live! She should be the one standing here right now... but..."  
  
His emotions had been so tangled then he couldn't even stumble with his words, instead standing there with tear filled eyes and staring at the demon exterminator in front of him, who own gaze had been teary eye-ed.  
  
With a cry, Sango had rushed forward and hugged him tight, placing her forehead on his chest, so he had let his own emotions roll from him like waves, the tears that he had held in check for so long fell, the silent cries of misery exploded forth.  
  
He had hugged her tightly with all his worth, letting his emotions out until he was exhausted.  
  
After a while he had fallen silent, the embrace broken when Sango had stepped back, her cheeks puffy, eyes red, and with a sniffle, she had whispered, "Can I ask a favor of you?"  
  
He would have done anything for her at that moment, having let him ease the misery that threatened to suffocate him, and he had quickly nodded, listening intently when she added, "Shippo... he's not doing any better than you, could you... see if you could do something to help him? It's really... hard for him, even if Kagome... well..."  
  
"I'll try." Was all he had replied, not knowing how he would do anything if he couldn't help himself, but Sango's grateful smile was reward enough for trying.  
  
He felt a spark of happiness, a long year of deprive of it making him delirious, and he given Sango a small smile, whispering, "Miroku's a lucky man to have you as his wife Sango, I'm glad you're both happy."  
  
That had brought another bout of tears on from her, though he certainly hadn't minded...  
  
It had felt good to feel something other than misery and nothingness.  
  
Nearly a month passed, every day dragging by without purpose, and he had decided it was time to confront Shippo...  
  
He didn't have a clue of what to say, how to help the kitsune who was so silent now.  
  
Searching around, Inuyasha had found him next to the Bone Eater's Well...  
  
Or what was left of it.  
  
With wide eyes, he had stopped behind the kitsune, staring at the remains of the well, vaguely noting it had caved in on itself, half filled with stones, dirt, and more.  
  
His arrival went by unnoticed, so he was forced to clear his throat to get Shippo's attention, and the kitsune had glanced up at him with dull eyes, a small light of recognition in them.  
  
"What do you want?" Came the dead voice as he turned back to the gaze at the well, and Inuyasha had simply stared at him, brows furrowed with disbelief.  
  
"Shippo..." He whispered, bending down to be closer to the young kitsune, but no acknowledgment had come.  
  
Determining the best course would be to get everything out in the open, he had silently shifted and plopped to the ground, crossing his legs and tucking his hands into his sleeves, finally announcing, "I miss her too Shippo."  
  
That startled the kitsune so bad he jumped, spinning around to stare at the hanyou with wide tear filled eyes as he shouted, "Why? Why did she leave me?!?"  
  
The question had torn at Inuyasha, as it did even now, the same one that had crossed his thoughts many times, yet still he couldn't answer it...  
  
"I don't know..." He had replied, glancing away from the kitsune, but he had gotten Shippo started so there was no stop, "I... I asked her not to leave! But... but she said... she said she had to go! She died... she died!"  
  
"Shippo, it wasn't her fault..."  
  
"Yes it was! She left me... I thought she loved me... she said she loved me!"  
  
"She does Sh... I mean, she did! She loved you with all her heart Shippo, you can't blame her! If you want to be mad, blame me..."  
  
"Inu-Inuyasha... I... I-I miss her so much, and I don't even have anything to remember her by!"  
  
A sob then came from the kitsune, dashing into his arms and crying loudly as Inuyasha had squeezed his own eyes shut, tears slipping down his cheeks.  
  
What could he do? He didn't have anything of Kagome's...  
  
The fire that consumed their camp so long ago had destroyed everything that was hers.  
  
Except one thing...  
  
His eyes had snapped open with that last thought as he reached one hand into his pocket, drawing the rosary beads out, and he at that moment he had felt a small flood of anger flood him...  
  
The damn beads that brought them together and then destroyed them.  
  
Sitting on the tree as the last rays of light disappeared over the horizon, Inuyasha growled with anger.  
  
The damn beads that were clenched in his hands, the only object of Kagome's other than the Shikon Jewel shards.  
  
"Here Shippo, take these to remember Kagome by..." He had told the kitsune, holding out the necklace, and Shippo had been so happy...  
  
More tears had followed, as a deep bond of friendship seemed to grow...  
  
Maybe even brotherly love.  
  
Blinking, Inuyasha watched the last ray of sunshine flicker and die just as he felt lightheaded...  
  
********* ********** ********* ********* ********* ********* ********* *********  
  
To those who reviewed: Thanks!  
  
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Letz move on to the next chappie, eh?  
  
Hugz N Kissez, Ali 


	14. New Moon

New Moon  
  
Blinking, Inuyasha watched the last ray of sunshine flicker and die just as he felt lightheaded. his senses dimmed dramatically, the melodic sounds of nature dying off softly, the strong smells of the forest dulling, and the darkness swallowing him.  
  
Damn, is it the new moon already?!?  
  
Glancing up at the sky, he realized it was...  
  
The clear sky was devoid of any light other than the stars that twinkled down at him, and he growled in frustration.  
  
Dammit, he hated being human!  
  
The only time he had even enjoyed it the slightest had been... with Kagome.  
  
When he had been poisoned, she had let him lay his head on her lap, and then it didn't matter that he was human...  
  
He could still smell the wonderful scent that seemed to be only her and see her beautiful face.  
  
Agony tore through him at the memory, his hands tightening unconsciously around the rosary beads...  
  
His gaze lowered until it rested on the necklace, lying so innocently in his hands, and he felt another wave of agony impend him.  
  
What he wouldn't give to have her back...  
  
He'd do anything at all.  
  
He'd give up every bowl of ramen he ever ate, he'd let her put the rosary beads back on and sit him a thousand times if that's what it took, he'd give up the Shikon Jewel...  
  
'Good luck with the Shikon Jewel...'  
  
Her final words to him floated through his mind, his body tightening with anger once again.  
  
Damn it, how could he let her think that was the most important thing of his life?  
  
How could he think that was the only thing that mattered?  
  
Kikyo's words seemed to hover over him like a shadow, always gnawing at his conscious, threatening to throw him into despair...  
  
'You had taken everything she did for granted... everything.'  
  
The words echoed around in his head once again...  
  
Yet, they were true...  
  
Too true.  
  
Misery settled upon him once again, unmindful to him, and his mind shifted back to what happened these last years...  
  
After he had given Shippo the rosary beads, the kitsune had seemed to slowly recover, though there had still been moments when Shippo was do something, then just stop, a memory from long ago coming back...  
  
Those times happened less and less frequently as time passed, but he had been sure Shippo never forgot her...  
  
Just as he couldn't.  
  
Another year had slowly crawled by; the time spent doing absolutely nothing...  
  
He just hadn't been able to shake off the depression, instead dwelling in memories...  
  
Memories led to regrets...  
  
And regrets to more memories, it had been an endless cycle.  
  
He had no reason to live...  
  
More time passed without happenings, Miroku and Sango living life to the fullest, yet whenever he had been around them, he saw it in their eyes.  
  
The anguish that tore him apart lies within them too, silent and terrible, but they held up their faces, not taking one thing for granted...  
  
God, how he had wished that he could do that too, but the one thing in life he wanted was gone.  
  
Sitting on the tree where he had first met Kagome, he had been remembering again, holding the only thing he had left of Kagome in his hand...  
  
The Shikon Jewel shards.  
  
Not one thought of becoming full demon had passed through his mind those last years.  
  
Not once, but that night he had become human.  
  
What would it be like not to have to worry about being weak once a month?  
  
It would be amazing...  
  
The memories had been swept away as he sat there contemplating that question just as another thought popped up...  
  
How would he find the jewel shards without Kagome...  
  
Thinking about her hurt so much, but that one thought had stirred his interest.  
  
It was true what Sango said...  
  
Kagome didn't die just for him to waste away nor bleed in misery.  
  
No, she died so he could live without trouble...  
  
How much of a fool he had been those last couple of years, simply trudging about without purpose, miserable with grief.  
  
But, damn it, it had been her fault!  
  
Once again his thoughts had switched back to her, asking himself, 'How could she think the Shikon Jewel was more important then her? How could I think that?'  
  
The two questions that haunted him every living moment, tearing him apart inside, but this time, it did more than cause misery...  
  
It sent a thrill through him.  
  
The Shikon Jewel!  
  
Why hadn't he thought of it before?  
  
The first glow of hope since her death appeared over the horizon as he sat on that tree, staring off over the distance, much like he was doing right now.  
  
All this time he had wasted! Now it would take even longer!  
  
The next day, once he was half demon again, he had hurried to Lady Kaede's hut, telling her of his plan.  
  
He would complete the Shikon Jewel and wish for her back! What had he been thinking before, it was so simple!  
  
Lady Kaede had agreed that was a wise course of action, her aged face wrinkled more than he remembered, and he had hugged her in his joy, swinging her about.  
  
It was going to work! Kagome was going to come back!  
  
Later that day he had gathered the group, with an extra addition of Sango's brother, who had grown tall and strong.  
  
A sad smile lit Inuyasha's face at the memory of him telling everyone his plan...  
  
They'd all reacted exactly as he had.  
  
With cries of joy, excitement, and enthusiasm...  
  
Yes, every signal one of them missed their shining beacon of hope, the girl that had changed their lives forever.  
  
They started out that day in search of jewel shards...  
  
Everything went downhill.  
  
Two years passed with only one success of finding a jewel shard...  
  
Spirits were low, hopes dashed.  
  
Another thing they had taken for granted...  
  
Kagome's ability to help them find jewel shards.  
  
More than four years had passed now, though it had seemed like eternity to him. A damn eternity without Kagome, only his memories of her to soothe him, and that wasn't enough.  
  
He needed her.  
  
He had wandered away from the group, settling himself in a tree and listening to nature's sounds, so distracted by his own misery he didn't even notice Shippo crawl up the tree until he was practically on his lap.  
  
The young kitsune had gazed at him with understanding eyes, not saying a thing for the longest time, and they just sat there in a heavy silence, their feelings communicated without words.  
  
"We'll find the jewel shards no matter what." Shippo announced with determination beyond his years, as if he had grown up these last years...  
  
Which was the truth.  
  
Those last four years had been a hard journey for the kitsune, testing his strength and boundaries, but Shippo had managed it, with a little help from him...  
  
The rosary beads had hung around the kitsune's neck all the time, never removed or placed aside.  
  
He had gazed at them after Shippo had made the announcement, a longing inside of him so strong he was forced to swallow, and quite calmly Shippo glanced down to see what he was looking at.  
  
Next thing he knew, Shippo had removed the necklace and was handing it to him, whispering, "I think you need the rosary beads more than me now Inuyasha... I'll never forget Kagome no matter what, but neither will she ever be gone... for she's always in my heart... and yours."  
  
With those wise words the young kitsune left him to stare at the rosary beads in his hands...  
  
Much like he was doing now, Inuyasha mused, rubbing the smooth beads against his hands.  
  
Sometimes, when he tried hard enough, he imagined he could smell her on them...  
  
Holding the necklace to his nose, dulled by being human, he inhaled, seeking some whiff of her wonderful scent.  
  
None came.  
  
From that time on, when Shippo had given him the necklace back, he had worn them around his neck, not letting them out of his sight...  
  
They felt like his last connection to her.  
  
Sure, he had the Shikon Jewel shards...  
  
But that only brought about pain and anger, her last words rising from the depths.  
  
The rosary beads were also a symbol of pain, though this was comforting...  
  
Their connection was delved from this necklace.  
  
Damn, how he wished things hadn't gone to shit...  
  
Wished she were back here with them right now.  
  
He didn't care if Naraku would still be around, at least he'd be able to see her smiling face...  
  
With one last glance at the rosary beads, Inuyasha reached up and tied them around his neck, comforted by their weight there.  
  
A memory popped into his mind, one of him and Kaede...  
  
They had been back at her village for a break, probably half a year after Shippo had returned the rosary beads, almost five years since Kagome had... gone.  
  
Miroku, Sango, Kohaku, and Shippo had all been resting inside the hut, tired from a long day's journey to get back. Though he had been tired himself, he had resigned to not sleeping, but instead sitting outside with Kaede as she made stew...  
  
Moments such as that he remembered the ramen that Kagome made...  
  
Delicious, warm, mouth watering...  
  
Taken for granted, he remembered with darkening eyes, the deep violet turning a color close to black in the darkness, swinging one of his legs from the tree branch as he leaned back against the tree, staring up at the sky.  
  
He hated himself sometimes, berated himself for taking everything Kagome did for granted...  
  
Damn it, and Kikyo pointed it out to him!  
  
That damn bitch had to be the one to point it out...  
  
Point it out and rub it in.  
  
She just had to go fall in love with that sick bastard Naraku, plot against them, and destroy his life didn't she?  
  
Shit, he needed to redirect his thoughts...  
  
Back to Kaede, she had been cooking the stew, and kept glancing at him with her one eye, still sparkling with intelligence even at her elder age.  
  
Finally pushed beyond his patience, he had shouted at her, asking what the hell was the matter, and she had replied calmly, used to his bouts of temper, "I don't see why ye still wear thee beads Inuyasha... with Kagome gone, thee have no use, for the only way to reactivate them is by her doing so..."  
  
"Old crone, it's none of your business!"  
  
With those hateful words, pain was shredding him apart inside; he had raced away, not speaking to her again, even when they left.  
  
His stomach clenched as he remembered that, he hadn't spoke to her...  
  
And never would again.  
  
When they returned the next time, just a while ago, he had learned that she had been killed by a rogue demon.  
  
God, and to think the last thing last thing he said...  
  
Miroku, Sango, Kohaku, and Shippo are still at Kaede's village, mourning her loss, but he hadn't been able to stand it.  
  
Everything he had once known was now gone, except for the Shikon Jewel...  
  
And even that was now being threatened.  
  
A hand went up to the partially completed Shikon Jewel that hung around his neck, gripping it tightly, and he growled, realizing it sounded wimpy to his human ears.  
  
Damn it, did everything have to be torn away from him?  
  
Kikyo killed by Naraku, brought back to life, Kagome coming, changing him forever, Naraku deceiving bastard, Kaede always there throughout the years...  
  
All of them gone, dead.  
  
The only thing to show for his life was the Shikon Jewel...  
  
Rumors had been heard while they had been traveling.  
  
A powerful demon destroying everything in its path, seeking Shikon Jewel shards, so unbelievably strong...  
  
Even Sesshomaru had fallen.  
  
Eyes misting, Inuyasha felt an unbearable pain tear through him, caused by the loss of his bastard of a half brother...  
  
But brother no less.  
  
What kind of demon could be strong enough to destroy Sesshomaru when he couldn't?  
  
What would happen if that demon came after him, since it was inevitable...  
  
He has the majority of the jewel.  
  
He couldn't give it to the demon...  
  
Damn no, it was the only reason he had survived these last six years, the only thing keeping him going when everything had become too much.  
  
The only reason he was living.  
  
The only reason to live...  
  
To bring Kagome back to him when he completed it.  
  
There was no indecision; he had decided it long ago, without second thoughts.  
  
He missed her with all his body, mind, and soul...  
  
There wasn't a moment he didn't think about her, even when he tried not to.  
  
Jumping from the tree he had been occupying, he landed hard, his human body much weaker then his half demon self, and with a grunt, he started walking away from the tree, intent on stretching his cramped legs.  
  
Sure he hated being human, that had always been the reason why he wanted the Shikon Jewel...  
  
To become full demon.  
  
But now, he'd suffer the fate of being forced to be human once a month if it meant Kagome would be with him...  
  
He'd be human if that's what it took damn it!  
  
He just wanted to finish collecting the Shikon Jewel shards so he could wish her back, and he didn't need the complication of this demon!  
  
What if the rumors were true?  
  
What the hell could he do?  
  
Damn, with his luck, the demon would show up when he was human!  
  
He was at the edge of the clearing now, and he turned around to gaze at the tree he had just sat in, startled when his eyes caught sight of a cloaked figure.  
  
Warnings whirled through his mind, so ridiculously fast they became jumbled and were no help at all.  
  
The only clear thought was the question:  
  
What could he do?  
  
If it was the demon rumored about, wouldn't it have already sliced him into pieces and taken the jewel?  
  
Yes, of course, so there was no way it could be.  
  
So, should he just continue walking away or approach the figure?  
  
Undecided, Inuyasha stood there silently, watching the figure with narrowed eyes, and his heart stopped when the figure walked closer and announced, "Give me your jewel shards."  
  
********* ********** ********* ********* ********* ********* ********* *********  
  
Thanks so much to those who reviewed!!!  
  
~Lady Mayhem, KittiesK, Fukai Mori no Owari-Nai Yume, mattielover, Koneko- chan star, jammies2000, VioletRose4, SailorKagome, Shadow Wraith, Three- Letter-Word, pau lahi lahi, carrie, FluffyLuver4Eva, Rogue Pryde, Kaida Celeborn, Tiger of the Wind1, Chikai Tenshi, Nakamura-san, Queen of Blades, koishii-glory, chibimara~  
  
Next chapter, eh? (finally.)  
  
Hugz N Kissez, Ali 


	15. The Return

* quietly sneaks in *  
  
Uhhh... hi?  
  
* dives in order to avoid flying tomatoes and other various items *  
  
I'm sooooorry!!! So sorry, my apologies, I know I promised by October, but I just couldn't seem to revise my old chapters for nothing! And than school was taking soooo much time outta my home life, I mean I was lucky if I had three hours to myself!!!  
  
* big puppy dog eyes *  
  
Forgive me? Puh-leeeeeeeeeez???  
  
Thanks to those who reviewed!!!  
  
Mattielover~ yep, everyone's gone... n don't forget Kohaku, hez still around, though not playin a big role * shrug * er, well, some people will be comin back in this chappie... hehe, if that helps?  
  
SailorInu1~ ack, yeah, writers block waaaaaas gone... til I posted that chappie, then bam! I was stuck once again, so herez the update! Do enjoy!!!  
  
VioletRose4~ I'm so glad u like it! Yep, sessie got killed... I was tryin to get the point across of how powerful this 'demon' was... did that do the trick? Hope u like!!!  
  
Jammies2000~ yep, had to leave it there, sorry... whoz the person in the cloak? Now, if I told you that it would ruin this chapter, geeeeez!!! Go on, get reading!!!  
  
Shadow Wraith~ Damn it! You know what, you better stop guessing my story plots!!! * growls * but somethin happens in here u didn't guess (haha!!) n I'm pretty sure your gonna come chase me down for it... * runs for life * btw, enjoy!  
  
Glory230~ herez the update, hope itz good enough! Hehe, ;)  
  
KittiesK~ Yep, actionz startin back up... but happy? Er... um, honestly can't answer that one yet, sorry! Hope ya like!  
  
Pua lahi lahi~ Kagome comin back? Why would she do that? Hehe, get down there and read the story to find out! Hope you enjoy...  
  
Kokoro~ * raises eyebrow* only platonically? * weeps* j/k j/k, but I sure hope u enjoy this chappie!  
  
SailorKagome~ Enjoy the story!!!  
  
Tiger of the Wind1~ happy ending? * hides * er, um... maybe? Hehe, the cloaked figure? Like I can tell you that... homework galore here too, but hey, thatz what the fireplace is for right? ;) Enjoy!  
  
Jess~ glad u like, hope u like the chappie!!!  
  
Naka-san~ Hi there! What does this story mean? Er, not too sure, itz kinda a story where Inuyasha suffers for taken Kagome for granted... make sense? N sorry for the story bein so long, have lots of info. to share with my readers!!! Do enjoy!  
  
Lady Mayhem~ yes, another cliffe, my deepest apologies, but I luv em... yes, and a sad story it is, but two people, 'supposedly dead' will come back!!! Hopefully ur not too mad about one of them... enjoy!!!  
  
Koneko-chan star~ I know, school sux eh? Well, enjoy this chappie! Hehe...  
  
PeachesDani~ Posted! So u better getting reading, wut great team work we have here eh? Enjoy!  
  
Mustard Yellow Sunshine~ Er, love the name... hehe, so original!!! Hmmm, is Kagome gonna be brought back to life? Truthfully no, I mean, how can you bring someone back to life if they're already... er, oops, hehe, get reading this story!!! I almost gave it away, c'mon scroll down n ENJOY!!!  
  
Nakamura-san~ *blinks * u posted twice!!! Lol, freaked me out, sorry I haven't e-mailed but I've been so busy I haven't really had time to sleep... n dooooon't worry, Kagome ain't comin back with the Shikon Jewel, itz lame... so enjoy!!!  
  
The EVIL chibi~ updated, do enjoy! N glad ya like the story! Hehe, n nope, no way I would abadon this story, like it too much!!!  
  
Chibimara~ hehe, hope you enjoy it!  
  
Jammies2000~ yeeeeees, so sorry bout not updating sooner, n thanks for carin bout my grandmother! She's doin great, on an oxygen tank cause they removed part of her lung, but she looks clear of cancer * jumps in joy * N thanks for that one review, it got me movin! Hope you like the chappie!!!  
  
Sumeragi Kousei~ Grandmothers okay! Thanks so much for carin! N herez the update, hope you enjoy!!!  
  
I love your story~ *eyes mist * ah, golly gee wiz... * sniff sniff * thanks so much!!! Hope you like this chappie!!  
  
Wow!!! So many reviews, thanks guyz!!! N by the way, I owe the 'continuation' of this story to my best friend, Missy, cause yesterday she commented, "Ali, I think your readers are pissed at you cause you're not continuing your story..."  
  
Ah, yeah, my best friend kicked some sense into me, so I sat down at ten last night and wrote two chapters worth, edited one, n now I'm stuck on the finale, cause I don't want it to be bad!!! But I shall figure it out!  
  
Er, now you guyz... enjoy the chapter!!!  
  
Disclaimer: Don't own Inuyasha, duuuuuuuuuuuh...  
  
********* ********** ********* ********* ********* ********* ********* *********  
  
The Return  
  
"Give me your jewel shards."  
  
Those five simple words turned Inuyasha's blood cold, his breath frozen in his chest.  
  
With wide eyes, he studied the cloaked figure that stood across the clearing beneath the tree in which he had just occupied, a slim hand peeking out from beneath the dirty brown material, palm upward.  
  
His thoughts drifted back to the rumors that had been floating around...  
  
Could this figure be the demon?  
  
Damning his human senses, he quickly flexed his hands, attempting to reign in the panic that was coursing through his veins.  
  
With a growl, sounding wimpy as hell to his human ears, he gathered his thoughts, peering through the darkness in futile effort to identify the figure, and shouted, "Who the hell are you? If anyone is giving up Shikon Jewel shards, it'll be you giving yours to me!"  
  
Trying to gain control of the situation and his jumpy nerves, he slid his hands up the sleeves of his katana and lifted his chin a few notches, glaring at the figure.  
  
A surge of unease rushed through him when he noticed it hadn't worked, the mysterious demon below calmly replying, "Your piece of the Shikon Jewel shard is all I need to finish what I have strode to do for so long..."  
  
What the hell?  
  
This couldn't possibly be the demon the rumors spoke of...  
  
Could it?  
  
There was something eerily familiar about the figure, yet Inuyasha couldn't put his finger on it.  
  
As he stood there lost in his thoughts, a gust of wind brushed past him, swiping his long black hair around his body and continuing onward to the cloaked figure, outlining the slim body that hid beneath the dirty brown material.  
  
Both stood there in silence, the figure with a palm extended and Inuyasha arrogantly glaring, but his eyes flickered with nervousness and unease, their deep purple depths narrowed intently while he studied the cause of his alarm.  
  
The wind died down suddenly, leaving both of them to stand there as if frozen in time, not a thing stirring in the forest about them, casting an almost tranquil sense upon the scene...  
  
Until a whizzing sound broke the silence, coming from just over Inuyasha's shoulder, and he just barely caught sight of an arrow, its thin form speeding past him to slam full force into the cloaked figure without mercy.  
  
A cry pierced the air and within the blink of an eye, the slim body was flung backwards nearly twenty feet to be pinned painfully to a tree as the arrow pierced through cloth and skin to imbed itself deeply into wood.  
  
Watching the scene before him with wide eyes and bated breath, Inuyasha vaguely noted the arrow was surrounded by a light blue haze, barely visible to his naked eye, but his attention was wretched away from that miscellaneous fact when the hood of the cloak fell from the figure's head due to the force of impact.  
  
Long black hair escaped from its confinement, floating lightly in the wind to cover the face of the figure, the painful scream floating off with the wind.  
  
'Kik-Kikyo?' Inuyasha asked himself silently, a chill running up his spin as he started to slowly walk forward towards the girl, almost against his will it seemed.  
  
The figure pinned to the tree glanced down at the arrow that had completely pierced through her, noting that blood was already soaking through the brown cloak that surrounded the arrow, turning the cloth to a dull black.  
  
A slight twinge of pain flashed in her mind, though she didn't acknowledge it, so it simply seemed to fade away when she brought her eyes up to gaze at the young boy in front of her, the painful throbbing that had hit her when she looked upon him starting up once again.  
  
Less than ten feet from the figure now, Inuyasha abruptly stopped when she lifted her face to gaze at him, gasping in shock when he realized the cloaked figure's features were the exact one's that had haunted him for over six years...  
  
"Kagome..." The whisper escaped his dry lips, drifting through the clearing with an eerie clarity, and he stretched a hand toward her, unable to believe that this was real...  
  
It had to be a dream, how could she be alive?  
  
Somewhere in the back of his mind, he noted the pain that filled her beautiful brown eyes...  
  
But something was different...  
  
Something was wrong.  
  
Blinking, his hand dropped as the realization dawned upon him...  
  
Her eyes, they didn't shine with the inner light she always seemed to posses...  
  
The happiness, the joy.  
  
The life.  
  
Lost in his own thoughts, the young hanyou now human didn't notice the look of confusion that crossed her pale features, nor the narrowing of her eyes when he whispered that word, and her brow puckered the slightest when she silently questioned, 'Kagome? Is... is that my name?'  
  
The throbbing in her head intensified while she continued to think about it, so she quickly stopped, sucking in a deep breath to clear her foggy senses and attempt to gather her scattered wits, but her concentration was broken when a voice announced, "I see you have finally found the bitch for me Inuyasha..."  
  
Both Inuyasha and the pinned figure turned their heads to watch as a lone figure, wrapped in a light blue aura, seemingly floated into the clearing, several ghostly white demons following her like dogs following their masters.  
  
'She looks familiar somehow...'  
  
The idle thought floated across Kagome's hazy mind as she studied the woman with narrowed eyes, an instant dislike building...  
  
Or perhaps the existing dislike doubling?  
  
Shaking her head slightly, the pinned figure fought to think through the pounding in her head, only managing to make it even worse.  
  
"Kik-Kikyo?!? What... you... you knew Kagome was alive?!? How..." Inuyasha stumbled with his words, shocked by not only the appearance of one person he thought to be dead, but two people...  
  
But that wasn't right, Kikyo already was dead, wasn't she?  
  
So it really was only one person he thought was dead...  
  
His thoughts were churning faster than he could withstand, his gaze shifting from Kikyo to the pinned Kagome as he tried to soak it all in...  
  
Smiling coldly, Kikyo slowly stopped a few feet from both her reincarnation and Inuyasha, forming a triangle between the three of them, but the confused hanyou-human didn't notice, instead mouthing soundlessly as he worked on understanding what was happening.  
  
His deep purple eyes wide on his pale face, confusion evident in their dark depths, he stared at the equally confused cloaked miko, finally succeeding in getting his voice to cooperate as he whispered, "Ka-Kagome? What... you? Where have you been these last six years? It... you... me! Why? Why didn't you come back to us?!? Couldn't... can't be... Why didn't you come back... to me?"  
  
Fighting the throbbing in her head, Kagome glanced from the intruding woman to the confused boy, wondering how the hell both of them knew her, what the hell the boy was talking about, and so much more...  
  
The thoughts swirled in her head, increasing their dramatic tempo like a unknown dance as the throbbing increased, and she fought the onslaught, pushing the thoughts to the back of her mind as she squeezed her eyes shut.  
  
Resting her chin upon her chest, a command rose above the turmoil inside of her, rushing through her veins like a burst of adrenaline...  
  
The one thing that had led her through these many years...  
  
The only thing she remembered...  
  
'Complete the Shikon Jewel...'  
  
Raising her lowered head, her gaze trained on the shining point of light that came from the young boy, indicating jewel shards, and her one thought was to get the jewel shards, power welling up inside of her...  
  
Her concentration was abruptly broken when laughter invaded her thoughts, a chilling laughter that sent goose bumps along her skin and chills up her spine, and with clenched teeth the pinned miko swung her gaze to the intruding woman once again.  
  
Pulled from his thoughts also, Inuyasha glared at the dead miko, his irritation with her rising as he clenched his hands, feeling his dull human nails dig into his tender skin, but Kikyo relished the turmoil she was causing among the two before her, daintily covering her mouth with a hand.  
  
The laugher slowly died down, though her dull brown eyes still sparked with wicked amusement, and she turned her attention to Inuyasha, whispering, "She hasn't a clue to anything Inuyasha... the bitch has no memory at all."  
  
Hearing these words, the hanyou-human blinked, leaving Kikyo to happily continue her laughing once again, neither taking notice to the figure pinned to the tree.  
  
An indescribable anger filled Kagome at the woman's words, dark blue flames springing to life and swirling about her body, casting shadows throughout the clearing.  
  
Powerful wind whipped about her body, blowing outward and gaining both Inuyasha's and Kikyo's attention while she reached a hand upward to grasp the arrow, her fingers gripping the rough wood for a split second before she tightened her grip.  
  
It turned to dust in a bout of blue flames, blowing away in the wind as she stepped from the tree, the dark blue flames dying down until she was merely outlined by their flame.  
  
The other two figures in the clearing stared at the cloaked girl in mute shock, though Kikyo recovered quickly, a sneer quickly covering her beautiful features and her eyes glinting with suppressed anger as she announced, "Yes, I predicted as much with you Kagome..."  
  
The flames roared to life once again around the Kagome, the blue flames rising above her head without ceremony as anger filled her entire being.  
  
"Kagome..." The whisper went unheard, slipping from the thoroughly confused hanyou-human's lips, and he quickly closed his jaw when he realized it was gaping, staring at the cloaked girl, unable to believe how much power was surrounding her, roaring louder and louder each minute with its intensity.  
  
"I... I do not know of what you speak... neither of you..." Kagome whispered, watching both of the figures that stood before her through narrow eyes, the blue flames swirling furiously around her body as her cloak and hair whipped dangerously in the wind that tore past her.  
  
A sense of excitement filled Kikyo while she gazed at the raw power before her, her dead eyes reflecting the dark blue flames in the depths as the gusting wind lashed at her, her clothes and hair whipping about her body.  
  
While she reveled in this show of power, Inuyasha was struggling to stand, the gusts of wind threatening to topple him in the weak human body he occupied, his long black hair streaming in the wind as he once again cursed his damn luck.  
  
"Yes, that power..." The dead miko whispered, stepping towards Kagome with wide eyes, continuing, "I knew your power was great, but I didn't understand its depth... because of that, Naraku died. But now... now I know exactly what I must do to gain this extraordinary power! Now I know..."  
  
The flames around Kagome diminished the slightest, confusion evident in her stiff figure as she considered these words, and the winds stopped abruptly, catching Inuyasha by surprise, causing him to stumble forward and fall to his knees.  
  
"Now I have your attention, don't Kagome? Yes, your power... great as it is now, this is only part of it..." Laughing with a wicked smile, Kikyo strolled over to where Kagome stood, the flames that surrounded the cloaked girl dying furthermore.  
  
Confused brown eyes met wide purple eyes, both sharing a similar thought for a brief second before the brown eyes quickly tore from the other's gaze, the pounding in her head so strong she thought it would explode, but her attention was captured by the woman who now stood in front of her.  
  
Taking a small step back, Kagome gazed at Kikyo, the blue flames that surrounded her dissipating until she was merely wrapped in a fine blue mist, and the dead miko laughed, waving her hands while whispering, "Unbelievable power wasted on you, girl..."  
  
The ghostly white demons floated towards the two mikos, wrapping tightly around Kagome while she stood there, eyes locked with Kikyo, and the dead miko flashed her a wicked smile, continuing, "These last six years I have searched for you... I knew you had succeeded in destroying Naraku, but you couldn't pass on... the Shikon Jewel shards were gone, no where in the devastation you left behind, and I knew you had taken them with you..."  
  
At Inuyasha's blank look that Kikyo saw from the corner of her eye, her cruel smile broadened, and she tilted her head the slightest to include him in the conversation, glancing at him as she questioned, "Didn't you know Inuyasha? Your dear Kagome is immortal, no thanks to my love Naraku... yes, we couldn't have her passing on while we tortured her could we? No, we had to break her spirit first... she couldn't die until we broke her spirit."  
  
Anger filled Inuyasha, a vision of Kagome before she destroyed Naraku coming to mind, her bruised and battered body, the look in her eyes...  
  
A shudder passed through his body even at the mere image, but Kikyo wasn't going to let him go off in his own little world yet...  
  
"Weeks after beatings and torture, using all things imaginable, your precious little jewel shard detector still protected her power, unconscious though she was, Naraku couldn't manage to get it no matter what. It seemed like her body would give out before her spirit... so, Naraku of course prevented that, infusing her power with the demons of immortality."  
  
Standing motionless within the grasp of the ghostly white demons, Kagome listened to the tale that the dead miko before her was spinning with a passive face, though inside her thoughts were spinning like mad, the pounding in her head increasing with every word.  
  
Turning her gaze back to the unresponsive and bound miko before her, Kikyo laughed softly, stepping closer as she whispered, "Yes, when my arrow pierce your delicate skin, it should have undoubtedly killed you. The wounds you retained from the many other demons you fought should have been your death... yet here you stand. Immortal you are, Kagome, but not for long..."  
  
A sense of dread filled Inuyasha, urging him to move, to shout, to do anything! But his body remained motionless as he peered through the darkness to watch the scene unfold before him, his gaze locked on Kagome's pale features, her head bent forward and eyes closed.  
  
Arrogantly standing before the cloaked miko, Kikyo laughed, and in a cold, skin tingling voice finished, "Ah, Kagome... there is only one thing that is keeping you here in the land of the living..."  
  
"A promise..." The cloaked figure whispered, raising her head and opening her closed eyes to gaze at Inuyasha, her eyes glazed and empty, but Kikyo took no notice, too close to victory to sense the danger that was closing in on her as she continued with something close to glee, "And what must you do?"  
  
Everything that Inuyasha had heard this night crashed in with a tightening of his chest, a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach telling him he didn't want to know the answer to that question...  
  
He could see it in her brown eyes, but when he slowly got to his feet to move towards her, she broke their connection once again.  
  
The cloaked miko turned her eyes to Kikyo, her face emotionless, and as soon as brown eyes met brown eyes, blue flames once again exploded from Kagome, knocking the dead miko backwards with a shriek and destroying the white demons that held her captive.  
  
Watching with wide eyes, Inuyasha didn't move a muscle as the blue flames blasted past him and twirled about, but as Kagome started walking towards him, her face pale and eyes dark, he felt a hand squeeze his heart as she whispered, "I... I must complete the Shikon Jewel... that is all that matters..."  
  
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Uh oh! This can't be good at all! -_-' hehe, am I right that u guyz wanna kill me now cause I brought Kikyo back? Ahhhh...  
  
Newayz, I wanna make my summary better, cause I'll admit it, I ain't very good. so u guyz decide which one u like best for me okie dokie?  
  
1. When Kagome is kidnapped and tortured in order to gain what she posseses, by none other than the wicked lovers, Naraku and Kikyo, Inuyasha realizes the Shikon Jewel isn't the most important thing in his life, but has he noticed too late? (I/K, M/S, N/K)  
  
2.Unknown to her, Kagome posseses something that every demon wants... and it's not the Shikon Jewel shard, but when she's kidnapped in order to get it, Inuyasha wonders how he ever lived without her... (I/K, M/S, N/K)  
  
3.Inuyasha has gone through life, excepting what happens without thought, so intent upon getting the Shikon Jewel that he regrets to notice the thing in life that really makes it worth living. Inuyasha/Kagome  
  
Okay, well, the first one is my favorite, but maybe it gives too much away? N the third one is the one I gotz right now, juuust incase some of u guyz like it... though I don't! So, plz vote n decide which one shall be the summary!  
  
So there was the chapter, hope you enjoyed it! I should be able to post the next chapter soon, just gotta touch it up a bit, and I'll be working on the final chapter also, though I gotta admit itz a toughy!!!  
  
Hugz N Kissez, Ali  
  
P.S. Do review!!!! 


	16. Final Promise

Final Promise  
  
The blue flames touched the sky, a loud roar filling her ears as she stopped before the stunned Inuyasha, reaching out her hand.  
  
Slim fingers wrapped around the partially completed Shikon Jewel, and she kept her gaze locked upon the shards, determined not to look into his eyes least the throbbing in her head increased double fold, but when she tugged on the thread that held the jewel shards, her hand brushed against a strange bead necklace.  
  
Her breath caught painfully in her chest when two words floated through her hazy mind, 'Rosary beads...'  
  
The throbbing intensified, threatening to knock her unconscious, but she fought the darkness that threatened to suffocate her, wondering why the hell she knew what those beads were called...  
  
Snapping the thread that held the jewel shards, Kagome quickly lowered her hand, sweat trickling down her temple, and her eyes rose involuntarily, clashing with Inuyasha's dark violet ones.  
  
Staring into her dull brown eyes, he felt a painful emptiness fill him; unable to believe it was his fault, for some stupid promise she made to him, that she had turned into this...  
  
Empty shell.  
  
'Immortal...'  
  
The thought crossed his mind, one simple word making everything clear...  
  
His eyes lowered to the bloody wound on her chest from the arrow, blood still freely darkening the cloak, yet she didn't seem to notice the slightest.  
  
Forcing his eyes upward, he encountered the jagged black scar that lie on her cheek.  
  
'That bastard Naraku gave her that...'  
  
He didn't doubt that she had numerous other scars scattered about her body from the session's of torture she went through, though none would be that color... a grotesque black that contrasted sharply with her pale skin...  
  
No, that mark must have been where Naraku forced the immortality demons through to her power.  
  
He cringed at the thought of how painful that must have been for her, his eyes softening, and unknown to him, Kagome's heart skipped a beat, losing herself in their violet depths.  
  
Déjà vu seemed to settle in on her, stealing her breath away, and she felt like she was in some other time...  
  
Rain misting about her, a heavy sadness squeezing her heart...  
  
But then it changed, a nearly identical boy standing before her, his golden eyes wide with shock, an arrow penetrating his chest...  
  
Lifting her hand against her will, she brushed it against his cheek, startled by how right it felt...  
  
How perfect.  
  
Blinking, Kagome broke from her little daydream, realizing the boy before her... Inuyasha... was wearing an identical expression to her own, his eyes wide with shock and breath caught in his throat...  
  
He couldn't believe it, her dull brown eyes had sparked with recognition for the briefest second, but then she had blinked, returning to the bleak emptiness.  
  
That didn't matter to him though, a spark of hope had flared in his chest at that spark of recognition, and he knew his Kagome was still there...  
  
He just had to get to her somehow.  
  
There had to be some way!  
  
How could he make her remember?  
  
As he sat there pondering, the cloaked miko was shaking, unable to comprehend what was happening, and a voice inside her warned her to get away from this boy...  
  
While another voice told her to go to him for protection...  
  
Head pounding, stomach churning, and hands clammy, Kagome quickly turned from the stunned boy, wanting to escape from this place, just to rid of the confusion...  
  
The temptation to know.  
  
She had to flee, ignoring both voices inside of her and instead following the primal instinct of survival...  
  
Flee from the danger.  
  
Blue flames swirled about her slim, cloaked figure, as she started off for the forest, intent on getting away...  
  
"Wait..." The command came from Kikyo, who lay sprawled against a tree, her eyes glinting dangerously, but Kagome continued walking away, starting to draw the hood of her cloak upward, "What will you do once you complete your promise?"  
  
Freezing in her spot, the cloaked miko's body stiffened before their very eyes, her hands dropping the hood to fist at her sides, and Inuyasha glanced at Kikyo with narrow eyes, noting her smiling, features colder than ice.  
  
With an unnatural grace, the dead miko rose from the ground, eyeing the cloaked girl before her with a strange glint in her eyes as she whispered, "You have no reason to live, do you, Kagome? Yet you want to know -why-... don't you?"  
  
Spinning around to face the dead miko, Kagome fought to ignore what the woman tempted her with...  
  
To understand what danced just outside her grasp for so long, to know why she was here.  
  
To know what happened, whom she was...  
  
To know everything that had eluded her, for what seemed like forever.  
  
Her body was stiffer than a board, face pale and set as the blue flames leapt in deadly arcs around her body, lighting the scene around them in eerie shadows, expressing the turmoil inside her...  
  
But one thing overrode everything else...  
  
The thought that had always conquered...  
  
The promise she must fulfill.  
  
'Complete the Shikon Jewel'  
  
Deftly pulling her piece of the Shikon Jewel from beneath her cloak, hanging from a string around her neck similar to Inuyasha's own...  
  
That was now held in her hand, he realized with shock, but Kikyo simply laughed, whispering, "Yes, Kagome, complete your final promise... COMPLETE IT NOW!"  
  
Without a sound, the cloaked miko held up the final piece of the jewel shard to her piece, and they connected...  
  
Nothing happened.  
  
Inuyasha blinked, surprised that he didn't feel some sense of triumph...  
  
After so many years, the Shikon Jewel was finally complete...  
  
But instead of triumph, a deep chill settled within his bones, freezing his blood as he watched Kikyo walk to stand behind the motionless Kagome, the blue flames once again simmering about the cloaked miko's body.  
  
Laughing, Kikyo gazed at her reincarnation, laying a smooth hand on the rough material of the cloak to grip the girl's shoulder, and the dead miko raised her eyes until they landed on the hanyou-human, whispering, "I knew the temptation was too great..."  
  
Staring into Kagome's eyes, Inuyasha realized they had darkened beyond recognition, a trickle of fear sliding down his spine when her words from earlier floated through his mind, 'I... I must complete the Shikon Jewel... that is all that matters...'  
  
What happens now?  
  
She had fulfilled the only thing that kept her here in the land of the living as Kikyo had put it...  
  
But how was that possible, if she was immortal?  
  
She would forever reside in the land of the living...  
  
Unless...  
  
Eyes widening in shock, Inuyasha's gaze snapped to the bitch Kikyo, a snarl pulling his lips back.  
  
The only way to kill Kagome now was to take her power, thus taking her immortality, and that was exactly what Kikyo was planning...  
  
"Don't lay a damn hand on her Kikyo!" He snarled as everything clicked into place, all of the facts adding up to the inevitable it seemed...  
  
Inuyasha's thoughts were cut short when Kikyo laughed, her dark eyes flashing with amusement, and she voice her thoughts out loud, "Those were the exact words your dear jewel shard detector threatened me with... before she attempted to kill me of course, not the thing I will be wanting to repeat any time soon."  
  
Frowning down at the girl before her, Kikyo looked slightly miffed before continuing, "Luckily for me though, Kagome was too preoccupied with completing her other senseless promises to notice she hadn't put enough energy behind her blast to kill me... thought it was nearly enough..."  
  
Shrugging her slim shoulders, she laughed softly without any humor, her black eyes colder than ice as she continued, "I was at the brink of death, the true death where I would never return, flattened to the forests floor quite literally... If not for her inward battle with Naraku, I would never have made it through. But now... ah yes, she will pay for it all..."  
  
With a growl, Inuyasha quickly started towards the two mikos, but he was stopped in his tracks when Kikyo's ghostly white demons wrapped tightly around him as he fought desperately to free himself, though it was useless in his human body.  
  
Glaring darkly at Kikyo while she merely raised her eyebrows, they were both startled when the shimmering blue mist around Kagome blazed into flames once again, swirling around her body with a tremendous roar before settling down into a slow simmer, and the cloaked miko gazed at Inuyasha with glazed eyes.  
  
A bleak emptiness had filled her body instantly after the Shikon Jewel had been completed, after so many long years fighting and killing to complete her promise...  
  
And finally she had managed to do it, yet now...  
  
She didn't know what to do.  
  
There was no commanding voice that spurned her on, telling her she must complete the Shikon Jewel...  
  
There was only emptiness, a void that needed to be filled...  
  
But with what?  
  
The boy's eyes clashed with her own, their dark violet depths shining with something that seemed so familiar...  
  
The throbbing in her head increased once again, a second heartbeat it seemed, and blackness was rushing down at her, threatening to swallow her whole...  
  
She fought against the numbness, knowing there was something about the boy...  
  
Something comforting yet painful at the same time.  
  
A pressure on her shoulder reminded her that the woman was still standing behind her, and the churning of her stomach increased dramatically when she felt the dead miko's breath caress her neck...  
  
Everything was hazy, except for those violet orbs that held her own eyes.  
  
Struggling against the ghostly white demons that held him prisoner, Inuyasha felt a desperation fill him as he gazed into Kagome's empty eyes, a hand squeezing his heart, realizing after more than six lonely years of being unable to do a thing to bring her back, now she was back...  
  
But he couldn't do a damn thing to help her, because he was a damn human!  
  
Mentally concluding there was less than an hour before the sun rose, a small light of hope flickered in his chest, but Kikyo quickly caught his attention.  
  
Bending her head until her mouth was scant inches from the cloaked miko's ear, her cold smile widened, black eyes narrowing in her eagerness, and whispered, "My beloved Naraku failed to gain your power, but now you have no protection left... You completed your final promise, the only obstacle that stood in my way... the only thing that held your spirit intact."  
  
Dammit, Kikyo wasn't going to waste an hour before going after Kagome's power!  
  
His struggling increasing, the hanyou-human growled, breaking eye contact with the cloaked miko to bare his normal teeth at Kikyo, eyes flashing in anger.  
  
"Oh, Inuyasha, don't go getting angry at me... it is entirely thanks to you that I will now be able to gain this wonderful power..." Kikyo murmured, watching him with wickedly dancing eyes, "In order to protect you from dying, this bitch broke the connection she had formed..."  
  
"The rosary beads?" He asked in bewilderment, blinking in shock, but Kikyo merely shook her head, continuing, "No, you stupid mutt, your precious jewel shard detector was at death's door but still her spirit remained intact... even though she had no protection at all..."  
  
"Damn you! It was all because of..."  
  
"Yes, I tricked you into giving me the rosary beads... I was overconfident thanks to your stupidity, mutt. So I believed if I rid of you, since the connection was broken, Kagome would lose hope and her spirit would break."  
  
"Hope? So... the only reason she was still alive was because she had hope I would save her?"  
  
"No, nothing like that..." Kikyo whispered thoughtfully, tapping her hand on the cloaked miko's shoulder unconsciously and studying Inuyasha intently, "She had no intention of living through that day, Inuyasha..."  
  
The hanyou-human froze, the vision of Kagome as she destroyed Naraku surfacing...  
  
The look in her eyes...  
  
The look of certain death.  
  
A shudder passed through his body, sending goose bumps up and down his arms, but he ignored them, instead seeking the empty brown eyes of the cloaked miko, a tightening in his chest when he realized she really hadn't meant to live through that encounter...  
  
"You see, the only hope she harbored was to complete all her promise. she managed to complete some of them without trouble... freeing Kohaku, finding Shippo a family... but her other promises required more power than she could tap into without a connection to you."  
  
"Destroying Naraku..."  
  
"Indeed, so how was she to gain a connection to you? Simple... with the love she had for you, she created a bond far more powerful than any connection formed by those silly rosary beads... Then she had you acknowledge this bond..."  
  
"When she was Kohaku... then I saw her... standing there with Naraku, blood everywhere... I could feel her... the pain, the misery..."  
  
Blinking as he gazed into Kagome's eyes, he felt the heaviness in his chest triple, making hard to breath...  
  
Kagome had loved him; the carefree girl that he had always berated, yelled at, and scorned had loved him...  
  
It hurt like hell knowing everything that had once been was no more, that there was no way to make everything perfect like it had once been.  
  
Tired of the silence, Kikyo decided to wrap up her little story and make the final slam, whispering, "She realized that if she still had this connection with you when she let her power destroy her from the inside out, you would also die... so, she broke the only connection she had with you in order to save your mangy life."  
  
Barely able to stand, Inuyasha fought the onslaught of emotions that threatened to overwhelm him, tearing him apart without mercy, and with a heartless laugh, Kikyo added, "Poor Kagome just wanted the pain to end... to have peace at last..."  
  
Sliding her hand from Kagome's shoulder, Kikyo laid it on the exposed skin of her throat, digging her nails into the tender skin there as she squeezed, but she pulled back with a cry, the tips of her fingers turning black and nails burnt to the skin.  
  
"Bitch!" The dead miko shouted, lowering her hand to the cloaked shoulder once again, her anger firing up against her better judgment, but she squelched it with a laugh, "Of course, even at death's door, you remain pure... how ironic, Kagome."  
  
Not noticing any of this, Kagome stood there in a trance, her eyes depthless and dark, but the dark blue flames around her body picked up intensity, spreading outward a few inches with a sizzle.  
  
Her vision was hazy and she could barely hear Kikyo's words, but she continued to gaze into the hanyou-humans' eyes, unwilling and unable to break away from those penetrating eyes.  
  
The flames rose higher, causing the shadows in the darkness to deepen and dances, but Inuyasha took no notice, instead once again taking up his futile fight against the ghostly white demons with a growl, shouting, "Kikyo, I swear if you lay a damn hand on her I will..."  
  
"What shall you do Inuyasha? You can't protect her as you are... you a weak human."  
  
"I... don't... care..." He muttered, struggling all the harder against the demons that bound him, but to no avail, all it managed to do was tire him.  
  
Laughing, Kikyo stepped out from behind Kagome, her dead eyes shining with glory, and her demon friends swirled around the cloaked miko, forcing her to the ground on her knees.  
  
Unaware to any of this, Kagome stared ahead in a daze, her body limp, but some inner part of her sensed the danger, her power springing to life.  
  
Blue flames swirled around her, pushing against the demons and roaring with its ferocity once again, but soon her arms were shackled above her head by the white demons, her knees inches from the ground where she had been kneeling a second ago.  
  
Gasping, Kagome fought against the demons, panic rising inside of her hazy mind as she was pulled from the trance that had lasted through Kikyo's talking, and her eyes widened, mouth opening in a scream, the position that she was held in so familiar...  
  
Yet, how could that be?  
  
Sweat beaded on her forehead as she fought a scream, the blue flames around her roaring to life once again, and Kikyo watched her with shining eyes, the smile on her lips heartless.  
  
"Do you wish to see why your precious jewel shard detector wished for her death? Why she wished to be free? Well, I shall gladly demonstrate for you..."  
  
********* ********** ********* ********* ********* ********* ********* *********  
  
Thanks to those who reviewed!!!  
  
~ Jammies2000, Kaida Celeborn, Mustard Yellow Sunshine, Code-wyze, Miztikal- Dragon, Hekele Masuyo, Koneko-chan star, Pink twilight, Shadow Wraith ~  
  
Hugz N Kissez, Ali 


	17. Too Late

Too Late  
  
"Do you wish to see why your precious jewel shard detector wished for her death? Why she wished to be free? Well, I shall gladly demonstrate for you..."  
  
With a wicked laugh, the dead miko did just that, brutally beating the cloaked miko without mercy, and with each impact of flesh on flesh, a cry of pain tore through the air, setting Inuyasha's hair on end.  
  
Watching Kagome's eyes flash with panic, their brown depths coming to life with fear and realization, he understood for the first time what she truly had gone through at the hands of Naraku...  
  
And felt utter defeat knowing he hadn't been there to protect her.  
  
Another impact, the 'thwump' of flesh meeting tender flesh, and another pain filled cry, echoing through the forest over and over...  
  
A sick nausea filled the hanyou-demon as he was forced to watch the scene before him, holding Kagome's eyes with his own, a tearing in his gut with each cry of pain that escaped her lips.  
  
One tear trickled down her pale cheek, followed by another...  
  
Sobs soon followed as the blue flames around her body roared furiously, whipping about her body, and the dead miko finally stopped her beating, instead standing back to admire her work, stroking one of her ghostly white demons with a cruel smile.  
  
"Just like before, Inuyasha, you are unable to protect her..." Kikyo whispered, sliding her gaze from the beaten miko to the devastated hanyou- human, who was now on his knees, an unknown tear slipping down his own cheek, "This was just the beginning of what Naraku put her through, resulting to many other means no thanks to her resolve not to give in, for more than three straight weeks..."  
  
With another chilling laugh, the dead miko brushed her hands towards the softly sobbing girl, and several pink lights slashed against the cloak, tearing through cloth to cut deeply into the skin as another scream tore through the night air.  
  
Jerking her head to the side with a cry, the cloaked miko broke eye contact with Inuyasha, the pain tearing through her body all too familiar as the flames rose higher into the sky, swirling around Kagome like a vortex.  
  
"Yes, when Kagome went to destroy Naraku, she was more than willing to deal the same fate to herself... but one little promise held her back... one little promise stopped her power from destroying itself..."  
  
The dead miko's eyes were shining brightly with wonder, and with another wave of her hand, pink lights slashed at the defenseless miko once again, screams of pain filling there ears before it died down to sobbing...  
  
"But... but she's immortal..." Inuyasha whispered, in a state of shock while he sat there watching this inhumane brutality, and even Kikyo's laughter couldn't drag him from his motionless state as she replied, "Ah, but if her power had destroyed itself, it would have destroyed the demons of immortality would it not have? Yes, only that one little promise... thanks to you Inuyasha, her power will be mine!"  
  
Swiftly walking until she stood in front of the sobbing Kagome, Kikyo glanced over her shoulder as she shouted, "Naraku's death wasn't for naught because left a mark upon her body to which I could get to her power! The one spot he had tried to extract it from... the spot you had felt pain from through the connection Inuyasha!"  
  
"The scar..." He whispered to himself, staring wide-eyed into the dense ball of flames, but a tingling in his body pulled his attention from the scene.  
  
Glancing up at the sky, he realized it was mere minutes away from sunrise, and then he would be back to his normal self, allowing him to save Kagome.  
  
"Once again, Inuyasha, you failed to protect the one you cared for!!!" Kikyo shouted above the roaring, her eyes flashing with triumph as she reached a hand forward, touching the long, jagged black mark on Kagome's cheek.  
  
Everything froze for a split second...  
  
The wind stopped, the breath caught in each of their chests, even time seemed to hang motionless...  
  
The only movement was a lone tear, slipping down Kagome cheek as her eyes widened...  
  
And suddenly a scream tore the silence apart, her body jerking against the demon chains that held her, the blue flames around her body sputtering out until there was no power surrounding her.  
  
The pain from the bruises and cuts, the throbbing in her head, they were nothing compared to the agony that tore through her body now, coming from Kikyo's finger on her cheek, but it seemed as if the life were being drained from her, being sucked from her very being.  
  
Her entire focus was on the pain tearing her apart, thousands of sharp needles imbedding deeply into her body, but then something else caught her attention, the sound of a heartbeat, getting stronger and stronger.  
  
Inuyasha felt like he was coming alive...  
  
His senses were returning to normal, his hearing becoming stronger, his nose keener, his eyesight better...  
  
Everything was as it should be, but then his eyes clashed with Kagome's pain filled ones, tears streaming down her cheeks, her brows furrowed, mouth open in a silent scream.  
  
"How have these last six years been Inuyasha? I bet you wished you could redo everything, cherish her, as she should have been, did you not? You wished you hadn't been so rash, wished you had shown her how you cared..." Shouting like a maniac, Kikyo didn't seem to notice that Inuyasha had transformed back into his regular self, but he ignored her, instead turning to his thoughts on how to save Kagome.  
  
Another scream tore from her lips, her face becoming paler and eyes darker, and the wind picked up around her, whipping their clothes wildly.  
  
'Protect her...'  
  
The thought appeared in his mind his hand going up to the rosary beads around his neck self consciously, and he wondered how he could form a connection...  
  
How?  
  
His golden eyes deepened in color, the hand that hung limply at his side clenching until his claws dug into his skin, and still Kagome's screams filled the air, the blue flames springing up around her once again.  
  
His thoughts floated back to what Kaede had said so long ago, her brow creased with confusion, her eyes sad and bleak, "I don't see why ye still wear thee beads Inuyasha... with Kagome gone, thee have no use, for the only way to reactivate thee is by her doing so..."  
  
His eyes clashed with Kagome's as she broke off a scream, her body jerking convulsively, Kikyo laughing madly, and he knew what he must do.  
  
"Shout sit Kagome!" He shouted, walking towards the flames that surrounded the two mikos, and she stared at him, her hair and cloak damp from her sweat, eyes so depthless he feared he was too late.  
  
Another scream tore from her throat, jerking her body again, the flames roaring to life further around her, and Kikyo turned to look at him, her eyes widening as she shouted, "You don't want to be controlled again do you? Then don't tell her to..."  
  
"Shout sit Kagome! Now!" He interrupted, his golden eyes wild, his hair whipping around his body as he fought the wind that threatened to blow him away, his voice filled with panic and worry, and Kagome's scream ended on a cry.  
  
'Shout sit? Why should I?' She cried to herself, fighting the pain that tore through her body, tears slipping down her cheeks as she stared into the golden eyes that seemed so familiar, and with the next shock of pain, she shouted, "NO!"  
  
"Dammit, do it Kagome!" He shouted, his chest tight with fear, and he shuffled through his mind, trying to figure out a way to make her do it, thinking, 'I have to make her remember somehow...'  
  
Blinking, he realized the only time she had ever used the word before was when she pissed him off, but how was he supposed to piss her off if she didn't even remember him?  
  
How the hell could he be unable to help her when he was a fucking hanyou?  
  
He just couldn't be too late to help her...  
  
He couldn't be too late...  
  
"SHOUT SIT YOU DAMN WENCH!!!" The words exploded through his lips, his heart tearing at the pain he saw in her eyes, and her scream ended on a gasp as she stared at him, just before another wave of pain washed through, forcing the words from her lips, "INUYASHA! SIT!!!"  
  
Going down face first, Inuyasha was kissing dirt without mercy just as her pain tore him asunder, and Kagome's eyes widened when all her memories flooded back through the pain that shrouded her...  
  
The bone eater's well, shattering the Shikon Jewel, Naraku...  
  
A scream tore through her lips once again.  
  
Shouting with triumph, Kikyo turned from Inuyasha as the flames around them exploded, blowing everything backwards, both miko's flying in opposite directions.  
  
Landing painfully in toppled trees and other shrubbery, Kagome laid there, staring at the beautiful sunrise before her with wide brown eyes...  
  
She couldn't believe it...  
  
Here she was, still alive...  
  
Why the hell did she have to be immortal?!?  
  
Was life truly this unfair?  
  
Pain racked her body, unbearable pain that brought tears to her eyes, but she ignored it, instead concentrating on the problem at hand...  
  
Kikyo.  
  
Damn that bitch...  
  
Couldn't get rid of her that easily, now could she?  
  
A soft laugh escaped her lips as she shifted the slightest, her bloody and dirt covered cloak torn beyond recognition, but her attention quickly snapped to the figure who was blocking the view of the beautiful sunrise before her...  
  
Two fuzzy ears poking out of wildly tumbled silver hair, tanned body covered by a simple red haori, and finally...  
  
The golden eyes that held onto her own, their depths endless, but filled with worry, fear...  
  
And some emotion she just couldn't put her finger on.  
  
"Ka... Kagome?" His voice shook the slightest, an ear twitching in his unease, and she blinked...  
  
Unable to believe she was actually seeing him person...  
  
'One last time...' The thought flashed through her mind, flushing the happiness that rushed to the surface away without mercy.  
  
All the memories were there...  
  
Even the ones from these last six years...  
  
A shudder passed through her body, the screams of every single soul she had killed filling her ears...  
  
The urge to scream was unbelievable, the filth that seemed to coat her too thick to cleanse.  
  
Reaching a hand towards the dog demon above her, Kagome fought the pain that threatened to suffocate her, whispering, "Inuyasha..."  
  
His heart stopped in his chest at that one word, his eyes widening as he stared down at the beaten girl before him, and his legs collapsed underneath him, sending him to his knees without a sound.  
  
Taking her smaller hand in his, he noticed the blood and dirt that covered it, a pang of guilt striking his conscious, but he couldn't find any words that would express his feelings...  
  
Nothing seemed to add up to all the joy, happiness, and wonder that was expanding inside of him.  
  
Kagome was alive!  
  
Lying here before him, dirty and beaten, but alive!  
  
He hadn't been too late to save her!  
  
Here she was!  
  
He was broken from his thoughts when she slowly stood up, her face contorted in pain, though her eyes were shining the slightest with her inner light...  
  
Nothing like they had been back when everything was perfect, but they were shining!  
  
He felt like jumping up and down, shouting for all to hear, and saving the world all rolled into one...  
  
He was ecstatic!  
  
Blinking, he realized Kagome was teetering, close to falling over it seemed, so he stepped forward, wrapping his arms around her and spinning her around with a laugh...  
  
He hadn't been too late!  
  
"Inuyasha..." Her voice broke through his joy, hoarse from screaming, and suddenly he had so much to say and not enough breath to say it all, shouting, "Kagome! Oh my god, I can't believe it! This is simply amazing!"  
  
Abruptly setting her on the ground, he took a gulp of air to continue shouting his joy to the forest, "I'll never demand another bowl of ramen, never call you a wench again..."  
  
On and on he continued, shouting with joy and picking her up with another laugh, failing to notice the darkening of the cloaked miko's eyes, nor did he sense the deep sadness that settled upon her...  
  
Of course he was happy, the Shikon Jewel was finally completed...  
  
Feeling the prick of tears beneath her closed lids when the dog demon twirled her about, she realized once again she had been hoping for too much...  
  
A tear slipped down her cheek as she once again tuned into what the hanyou was shouting, "...it was hell when you were gone! I wandered for years, miserable..."  
  
Oh yes, miserable, she was sure...  
  
Probably because he couldn't find the jewel shards without her there to search them out for him...  
  
His words from mere seconds earlier made perfect sense...  
  
Of course he wasn't going to demand another bowl or ramen again, nor call her wench...  
  
Why keep her around when there was nothing left for her to do here?  
  
He was going to send her right back through the well to her old home...  
  
But it was too late, she had suffered too much.  
  
"... Miroku and Sango got married! Can you believe it? And Kohaku's a man..."  
  
Ah, yes, of course they went on with life without her...  
  
Hell, she sacrificed herself so they could...  
  
So why did it hurt so much?  
  
When he once again set her on the ground, his amber eyes shining with joy, her eyes landed on the necklace around his neck, blinking and in a soft, yet scratchy, voice whispered, "You put the rosary beads back on..."  
  
Glancing down at the beads that lie there, once again active, the hanyou grinned like a mad dog, laughing, "Hell yes! I'd be sat a thousand more times if that's what it took! Now, let's get you home..."  
  
It felt like Naraku had just slammed one of his ragged knives into her...  
  
Was he really that eager to rid of her?  
  
She couldn't believe it...  
  
Hadn't he even missed her the slightest all these years?  
  
After all this time, even without her memory, she had felt as if a part of her was gone...  
  
Yet all he could think about was that damn Shikon Jewel.  
  
A couple more tears slipped down both cheeks as she raised her eyes to meet his, whispering, "It's too late..."  
  
Every muscle in his body tensed, a little warning bell going off in his head, but he quickly shrugged it off, deciding he must have misunderstood her.  
  
Those crystal tears rolling down her cheeks just had to be from happiness...  
  
Right?  
  
Of course!  
  
She was happy that everything was all right...  
  
Everything was going to be fine...  
  
He hadn't been too late to save her!  
  
But...  
  
Something in his gut told him he was wrong, though he tried to ignore it.  
  
"Too late..." Kagome whispered, lifting her hand to her neck, slowly pulling the Shikon Jewel from beneath the cloak, and with one swift yank on the thread, it broke, "I fulfilled my final promise... the completed Shikon Jewel is yours to do with as you wish."  
  
She quickly switched her thoughts from what might have been to the problem at hand...  
  
The bitch Kikyo had stolen a good-sized chunk of her power, though she still possessed the immortal demons...  
  
Lucky her.  
  
Even now she could feel the power Kikyo had stolen creeping up on her...  
  
A few more seconds and the dead miko would use those powers to drag her away for the final battle...  
  
Laying the Shikon Jewel in the dog demon's palm, Kagome closed his fingers over it, lost in the depths of his golden eyes...  
  
Right then she decided that there was absolutely no reason at all to live...  
  
Like that time in Naraku's clutches, the will to live drained from her...  
  
Why would she want to suffer through thousands of years knowing the only true love of her life chose the Shikon Jewel over her?  
  
No...  
  
This was the easiest way to escape everything...  
  
She would end it all today, taking that bitch Kikyo with her, to the deepest pits of hell.  
  
Dropping his hand, she stepped back, holding his eyes as the power slowly crept closer and closer...  
  
Inuyasha was completely confused.  
  
That's the only way to explain the buzzing in his head, the clamminess of his hands, and the utterly lost look in his eyes, but as he stared at Kagome, he noticed one thing...  
  
The look in her eyes.  
  
The look he had seen too many times before, though it still managed to tug at his heart like nothing else had ever done...  
  
The look of certain death.  
  
Fuck, he really was starting to hate that look, but perhaps he wasn't correct?  
  
Unconsciously fisting his hands, he felt the Shikon Jewel press into his palm...  
  
What the hell was going on?  
  
What was Kagome thinking?  
  
He didn't understand...  
  
"Too late? B-but... it's not too late... it can't be too late..." He was babbling he realized, his heart nearly tearing from his chest, his voice shaking so badly it cracked, but he didn't care, he simply wanted Kagome to assure him it wasn't too late, though she didn't take heed, instead whispering, "You're wrong Inuyasha... there's just been too much pain... too much suffering... it's all going to end today... at last. It's too late to save me..."  
  
"But... n-no! What about Miroku, Sango? How about Sh-Shippo! You can't just... just abandon them! It's not too late..." The heart broken hanyou whispered, reaching forward to grip her shoulder, and Kagome felt another stab of pain...  
  
Where were you in that Inuyasha?  
  
Ah, of course...  
  
You have your Shikon Jewel...  
  
"They've made it these last years... they'll never even know I was here... I'm sure they'll be fine." She choked out, tears filling her eyes again...  
  
Damn, how many times did she have to say good-bye?  
  
Reaching a hand up to brush it against his cheek, like she had done so many times before, she whispered the one thing she had never been able to say before, "I love you Inuyasha..."  
  
His heart literally stopped in his chest at those words, unable to believe she still loved him after all this time, but he wasn't going to let her go just like that...  
  
No, it simply couldn't be too late...  
  
It just couldn't be too late...  
  
As he opened a mouth to tell her exactly what he was thinking, light blue flames burst to life around her, ripping her from the spot she had been standing, but Kagome caught a glimpse of the rosary beads around his neck, realizing he'd suffer the same fate unless she rid of them...  
  
Her hand shot out, gripping them just as the flames tugged her away, and Inuyasha was left standing there in the middle of a destroyed forest as the rosary beads snapped without a sound, each bead falling to the ground and rolling in various directions...  
  
Never to be activated again.  
  
********* ********** ********* ********* ********* ********* ********* *********  
  
Thanks to those who reviewed!!!  
  
~Hekele Masuyo, Miztikal-Dragon, Tima, Mustard Yellow Sunshine, Little Witch, Peaches Dani, gygirl~  
  
Hugz N Kissez,  
  
Ali 


	18. I Love You

I Love You  
  
Trees, rocks, and grass flashed past her in a whirl, the sunrise casting shadows upon them, but Kagome didn't notice...  
  
The image of Inuyasha standing there, eyes wide and mouth open in a gasp, his ears bent back was still fresh in her mind...  
  
'I'm doing the right thing...' She tried to convince herself, though she knew it was hopeless...  
  
With a lurch the cloaked miko was jerked from her thoughts, stumbling to her feet when the light blue flames suddenly disappeared, leaving her in the middle of a...  
  
Blinking with shock, Kagome realized she was in the middle of a crater.  
  
At least fifty feet deep, by the looks of it...  
  
But it didn't look new, a river running through the center of it, vegetation plentiful along its steep cliffs...  
  
Something was almost familiar about it.  
  
"Where's your little lap dog, Kagome?"  
  
The cold voice came from just to her right, sounding quite close, so she merely raised her head, spotting the dead bitch immediately.  
  
The ghostly white demons were floating around her, just outside the light blue flames that blazed, but Kagome grinned, holding out her hands innocently with a sarcastic reply, "Sorry, Kikyo... no Inuyasha to drag to hell... you'll have to do with me, sadly."  
  
A snarl quickly replaced the smirk on the dead miko's face, her lips curling the slightest, and without a sound she flung one hand forward, a blast of light blue flames hurtling themselves towards the defenseless Kagome.  
  
Slamming painfully into her body, the cloaked girl was swept off her feet, throwing her backwards a couple feet before she dropped to the ground, rolling a couple times, then finally coming to a complete halt.  
  
A triumphant grin had plastered itself upon Kikyo's cold lips, her eyes sparkling with wicked humor...  
  
Until Kagome started laughing, closing her eyes and throwing her head back with a carefree abandon.  
  
The dead miko stood there, unable to comprehend what the hell the bloody and battered girl before her could possibly be laughing about...  
  
The laughter continued on and on, echoing around the crater endlessly as dark blue flames flared around Kagome's body, roaring with their ferocity.  
  
Slowly standing up, her body shaking with laughter, the cloaked miko captured the shocked Kikyo's eyes with her own as the laughter died down, instead replaced by Kagome's chilly voice, "Miscalculated once again bitch... you can't kill me if I'm immortal..."  
  
A trickle of fear slipped down Kikyo's spine at the tone of the cloaked miko's voice, the predatory glean in her eyes...  
  
Shivering the slightest, the dead miko quickly covered her unease with her own laugh as the light blue flames swirled to life around her, creating a opposing wind to Kagome's, the different shades of blue clashing at a midpoint between them just over the river...  
  
"Tell me, stupid girl, do you really deserve to live? After all the terrible things you've done... all the pain and misery you've caused... do you want to live? With all those memories..." The dead miko chided, her voice scornful, but the cloaked miko's laughter once again filled the crater, sending chills down her spine.  
  
With a wave of her hands, Kagome's flames swirled about her body quicker as she started strolling towards the dead miko in a leisurely pace, a calm smile on her lips while she whispered, "You're right, Kikyo... I don't deserve to live. In fact, I'm going to hell, and I'm dragging you with me. So... if you truly want this power, let me show you how much there really is!"  
  
The flames exploded higher, reaching towards the sky, their dark blue shimmering with a deeper power...  
  
Realizing what the cloaked miko meant, Kikyo took one step back, a slight tinge of panic in her voice when she shouted, "You can't destroy yourself! Then you'll kill Inuyasha... you can't do that!"  
  
"Since when have you cared about him, Kikyo? Ah, this second, is it? Damn, you're one sad bitch... well, just to reassure you, the connection is broken..." Kagome laughed, her black hair thrashing about her in the wild wind, brown eyes shining with tears of grief as a peace settled over her...  
  
This is what she had been waiting for.  
  
Finally, after so long, this nightmare would end...  
  
But, if that was true...  
  
Why did it feel so wrong?  
  
A light tugging, barely perceivable, was coming from deep within her...  
  
She quickly ignored it, though it nagged her without mercy, and with another laugh she watched the dead miko before her pale in fear, the black eyes that had been so triumphant before darkening with panic.  
  
The distance between the two mikos slowly narrowed...  
  
With wide eyes, Kikyo noticed her reincarnation was walking on the river...  
  
Her feet barely touched the water, slight ripples spreading from where they did touch...  
  
The dark blue flames were quickly overtaking the dead miko's lighter ones, a powerful wind brushing the opposing flames away with ease...  
  
The dead priestess was frozen with fear, staring at the mirror image of herself, unable to comprehend how things had turned around so quickly...  
  
Why had that damn hanyou gone and played hero?  
  
Damn it! He was supposed to watch in misery as his oh so precious jewel shard detector died at her hands, not reactivate those damn rosary beads...  
  
'That's it!'  
  
The dead miko's mind stumbled to a stop, an image of the damn necklace coming to mind... followed by the words the bitch before her had just said, '...the connection is broken...'  
  
Standing before the oddly silent Kikyo, the cloaked girl prepared to let the power burst from her, and surprisingly, she felt a touch of remorse for all she was giving up...  
  
Even though things had continued on without her, did that mean that it wasn't worth living?  
  
Maybe... just maybe there was something to live for...  
  
What was she thinking?  
  
No one would miss her...  
  
'Don't ever leave again!'  
  
Shippo's words from that fateful day hit her hard, knocking some sense through the grief...  
  
The power was sitting right there, ready to be released...  
  
But something held her back.  
  
'Kagome, don't do this!'  
  
Inuyasha's words from that day...  
  
Damn it, why couldn't she do it?  
  
Blinking, Kagome realized that she was just standing there as the dead miko laughed.  
  
"Do you not recognize this place Kagome? This is where you failed to end your life last time. Not this time, though... oh no, I shall do the honors for you, and enjoy it immensely!" Kikyo shouted, just as she laid one finger on the scar.  
  
But nothing happened.  
  
The blue flames continued to rage around both mikos, their inner depths shining with bridled power; the wind whipped them without mercy, roaring louder and louder...  
  
Then something within Kagome broke...  
  
All the power around them exploded, touching the sky with its intensity, the shockwave destroying everything in its path for miles and miles.  
  
Trees torn out of their roots, grass shredded beyond recognition, dirt thrown into the sky...  
  
Everything was destroyed.  
  
Shaking her buzzing head, the cloaked miko realized she was lying at the edge of the crater, every single nerve in her body screaming in pain...  
  
But worst of all, her power was rushing out of her body, traveling over the expanse of the crater to the other side, where she could just barely see Kikyo standing.  
  
Dirt was falling from the sky like ash, blowing in the brutal wind that swept the area...  
  
Fighting to hold onto her power and managing to slow the flow down to a mere trickle, Kagome slowly got to her feet, a severe gash on her leg and minor cut on her arm two of many injuries scattered about her body.  
  
Why hadn't she ended it all?  
  
Shaking with exhaustion, she blinked, feeling her eyes start to tear from the dust...  
  
Damn it, why hadn't she ended it all?!?  
  
Frustration built up within her chest at the unfairness of it all...  
  
Maniac laughter floated over the scene, coming from the dead miko who stood in the center of light blue flames that were slowly, but surely, getting bigger, and the cloaked miko felt a desperation fill her...  
  
How was Kikyo stealing her power?  
  
'Your protection is gone... you spirit is shattered... you are alone...'  
  
A cold, heartless voice whispered in her head.  
  
So much like Naraku, all those years ago...  
  
With a sinking feeling, she realized the voice right... but...  
  
Why hadn't she ended it?  
  
Had she really hoped that someone would come save her?  
  
In some part of her mind, she had believe that...  
  
She had actually hoped that someone would save her and everything would be perfect again.  
  
A choked laugh escaped her, tears slipping through closed lids to blow away with the wind...  
  
How naïve she was.  
  
She was alone, that was the truth and nothing could change it.  
  
Suddenly it wasn't just the power that was being drug towards the dead miko, her whole body threatened to topple over and swoop over there.........  
  
Then it would be the end, Kagome realized, with a gasp, her closed eyes shooting open.  
  
Could she let it end like this?  
  
Could she?  
  
No... it just couldn't!  
  
But the matter was really out of her hands now.  
  
She had no control over what was happening.  
  
The dead bitch was drawing the power from her body without any resistance except for her desperate attempt to hold it back...  
  
She had no control at all!  
  
"Damn it Kikyo!" The cloaked miko shouted, a burst of power swirling around her, the blue flames signaling her resistance...  
  
The cold chilling laughter filled her head, sweat rolling between her shoulder blades and temples from the exertion she was forced to withstand in order to hold her power from Kikyo.  
  
A scream tore from Kagome's lips when a sharper tug on her power literally tore more from her body, rushing in a river of blue flames towards the dead miko, arcing gracefully over the crater to hit light blue flames.  
  
The pain was unbearable...  
  
With a gasp, Kagome felt her foot slip, sliding until she was inches from the edge of the crater before she finally got her footings again.  
  
Her power was nearly half gone...  
  
Panic soaked in, mingling with the pain and hopelessness.  
  
Damn it!  
  
What could she do?  
  
There was nothing she could do.  
  
Everything was becoming hazy again...  
  
Like before, the feeling of not really being there...  
  
Shaking her head roughly, Kagome fought hard to break free of the haze.  
  
But everything was going dark...  
  
With glazed eyes she watched as still more flames tore from her, flying with dazzling agility over the crater to mix with the lighter blue flames, and a cold numbness overtook the cloaked miko's body.  
  
This was the end, after so much pain...  
  
After so much misery...  
  
Another painful scream tore from her cracked and bleeding lips, the sharpest pull on her power yet drawing an alarming amount of power from her.  
  
The pulling on her body became unbearable, she barely noticed her feet slipping towards the edge of the crater against her will as she stood there, the darkness swallowing her completely...  
  
The end...  
  
Suddenly two warm bands of steel wrapped around her from behind, tucking themselves securely just beneath her ribs, and she was pulled back into a protective embrace.  
  
Impulsively stiffening despite the sense of absolute rightness and struggling to shed the darkness that had smothered her, the scream cut off abruptly when warm breath fanned her ear, an all too familiar voice whispering, "Look deep inside of yourself..."  
  
Those words...  
  
Eyes widening in disbelief, the cloaked miko brought her arms down to grip the muscular ones that held her so tightly...  
  
Her haven in the darkness.  
  
Those were the exact words she had used when she asked Inuyasha to complete the connection that she had created out of love.  
  
The tugging deep within her tripled in intensity, a tingling spreading throughout her body and pushing the terrible pain away...  
  
But how could this be?  
  
Inuyasha couldn't love her...  
  
He didn't even need her any longer!  
  
She'd given him the Shikon Jewel...  
  
Power continued to flow from her, a steady stream of blue flames, but she barely noticed, lost in the blackness and enchanted by the masculine voice that sent shivers down her spine, "I don't care what you say, it's not too late to save you... After all those years without you Kagome... I'm not going to lose you again, damn it."  
  
Winds raged around them, destroying everything for miles.  
  
A pang of guilt stabbed through her, a flicker of hope...  
  
With a shake of the head, Kagome attempted to pull from his arms, whispering, "It's too late... just let me go... please, let me rest in peace..."  
  
"No! You're going to listen to me, whether you want to or not..." His voice husky, he tightened his grip, dragging her back until her back was pressed against the wall of his chest.  
  
The darkness hovered at the edge of her vision, unable to creep closer yet not leaving as he continued, "After you died... or, after we thought you died... everyone was devastated. Miroku took your advice... like I told you before, him and Sango are happily married, but tell me... how can they truly be happy when their marriage was only possible at the cost of our most precious jewel shard detector?"  
  
Breath hitching in her chest, the cloaked miko blinked, never having known that perhaps life wasn't so perfect without her...  
  
"Shippo was utterly heartbroken. You don't know how rough he took it, he just stopped living it seemed... never played, never spoke... he's slowly gotten better and we've got a brotherly relationship going on, but he'll never be the same without you..."  
  
Oh Shippo, her poor little kitsune...  
  
She missed him so much, she just wanted to hold him in her arms and never let him go.  
  
"Me? There is no one word to express what I was feeling... grief at losing you, disbelief that you were truly gone, but mostly anger..."  
  
She froze, both at his words and the agonizing pain coming from her cheek...  
  
Jerked from the haven that she had been so peacefully residing in, Kagome screamed, her knees buckling underneath her, leaving only Inuyasha's arms to support her.  
  
"Kagome? Kagome!"  
  
Inuyasha didn't get what was going on.  
  
Of course he understood Kikyo was stealing her power, that's why he was trying to get her to complete the connection, but she had been fine a second ago...  
  
What was happening?  
  
A bone deep desperation filled him, slowing his ability to think, and with little thought to anything except the need to protect his Kagome...  
  
Turning the miko in his arms, he watched in horror as the immortal demons, black ghost-like snakes, slithered from the scar in her cheek, quickly being surrounded by dark blue flames before slowly floating towards the dead miko.  
  
He had to complete the damn connection otherwise...  
  
He didn't know what would happen; he just knew he wouldn't like it.  
  
Her pain glazed eyes stared up at him, tears trickling down her cheeks, and he did the only thing he could think of...  
  
He kissed her.  
  
Pouring all the misery, anxiety, and every other emotion he was feeling into the kiss, Inuyasha tilted his head the slightest and wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her against him, not at all surprised at the perfect fit of her body against his ...  
  
The tugging deep within Kagome expanded, the connection complete as she sighed and wrapping her arms around his neck, melting into him while the pain completely disappeared, their kiss just beginning to deepen when a scream pierced the air, startling them both.  
  
Gasping as a whirlwind of blue flames slammed into her back, Kagome burrowed into the hanyou's embrace, eyes squeezed shut as the breath was forced from her body.  
  
Growling in frustration, his ears flickering with unease, Inuyasha tightened his hold on the miko in his arms, noting the blue flames that were disappearing into her back.  
  
Following the path of blue flames, his gaze landed on Kikyo, realizing the dead priestess was screaming in pain, and his eyes narrowed when he caught sight of the immortal demons that shredded her apart from the inside out.  
  
The dead miko's hate filled eyes landed on Kagome, their black depths shining with pain as she continued to scream, and with the her last bit of breath and strength, shot a ball of light blue flames towards the cloaked miko, shouting, "DIE BITCH!"  
  
With one final scream, her body turned to dust, blowing away in the wind without a sound.  
  
The ball of light blue flames shot towards them, so fast the hanyou didn't have time to even blink an eye, slamming into Kagome's back, but instead of pain, she merely felt a slight tingling as the power soaked into her.  
  
The last of it, she noted...  
  
She once again had all her power, tightly coiled inside of her...  
  
It felt right.  
  
Blinking, Inuyasha tightened his arms around the cloaked miko, holding her to his chest, her face buried in the soft red cloth, breathing his scent...  
  
The smell of forest, so wild and untamed.  
  
They stood there in silence for minutes on end, holding onto each other, one unable to believe what had just happened, the other trying to figure out what happened.  
  
"Inu... Inuyasha?" Kagome's shaky voice broke the resolute silence, breaking him from his trance, and with a shout of joy, he pulled her back, gazing into her eyes while shouting, "She's gone! Destroyed, it's all over! After so long, it's finally over! Oh god, Kagome..."  
  
"She......... what? Wait! How the hell... what did you do? What... INUYAHSA!!!"  
  
Screaming at the top of her lungs as the dog demon tossed her twenty feet into the air, she flailed, the scream becoming louder and louder the whole way down to the hard ground below...  
  
But he caught her with ease, twirling her about and continuing with joy, "She's dead Kagome! Back to hell! She's dead!"  
  
"You already said that... put me do-AHHHH!"  
  
Thirty feet into the air this time, the ground rushing up at her with pee- in-pants kind of fright, but he once again caught her, landing a quick kiss on her lips, continuing, "No, the immortal demons! Someone dead can't become immortal, can they? No! So, as soon as they touched her skin, bam! She's dead! Gone forever! History!"  
  
"She's... oh my god, she's really go-Damn it InuyashaaaAAAA!!!"  
  
Fifty feet into the air, she could see for miles, and when he caught her again, she truly wished he still had the rosary beads on...  
  
Her thoughts came to an abrupt halt.  
  
Feeling the tension in her, Inuyasha set her down, the grin on his face melting away when she asked, "Why? You have the Shikon Jewel... why did you come after me?"  
  
Her brown eyes, though still slightly dark, once again sparkled with life...  
  
Damn, had he missed her.  
  
Yet, she still thought he cared for the Shikon Jewel more than her...  
  
Well, it was about time he showed her his true feelings.  
  
Reaching up to where the Shikon Jewel lay, he gave it one swift tug, his eyes watching hers as they followed his every movement...  
  
"When I thought you had died Kagome, I had felt grief and misery... but I had also felt anger..." He whispered, letting the Shikon Jewel shard dangle from his hand as he held it between them, about eye level and continued, "Anger at having taken you granted for so very long... for believing the Shikon Jewel was more important to you... but mostly anger at not being able to tell you how I really felt..."  
  
Dropping the Shikon Jewel onto the dirty ground below, he reached forward and wrapped her in his embrace, tracing the scar on her cheek with a finger, gazing into her beautiful brown eyes as his own golden depths shone with his feelings.  
  
Then, standing scant inches from a fifty-foot crater, dirtied and windblown, he whispered three wonderful words before giving her a kiss that not only stole her breath away, but also reassured her she would never be taken for granted again...  
  
"I love you."  
  
********* ********** ********* ********* ********* ********* ********* *********  
  
Well, the end! Oh yeah, I'm a ditz... accidentally deleted this chapter so I had to totally repost! * major sigh * Wut a blonde eh? Hope you enjoyed! Check out 'Lechers Reunited'!  
  
Thanks to those who reviewed!!!  
  
~Miztikal-Dragon, jammies200, Hekele Masuyo, Mustard Yellow Sunshine, PeachesDani, j.b Raven, Aina Himura, Lady Mayhem~  
  
Hugz N Kissez, Ali 


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